Truck West May 2013 by Annex Business Media

•

May 2013 Volume 24, Issue 5

Power play: We answer seven common questions about power inverters.

Page 30

Under scrutiny: A new study examined the safety of trailer underride guards. One was clearly better.

Page 26

Food safety: If you haul food in or out of the US, you’ll be affected by this sweeping new legislation.

Page 16

Page 7

Western Canada’s Trucking Newspaper Since 1989

Thin is in: Why it may be time to make low-viscosity engine oils a part of your fuel-saving strategy.

trucknews.com

Trimac’s tough task How Trimac plugged up its driver leak by embracing values of the Blue Ribbon Task Force on the Driver Shortage By Marco Beghetto

A new emissions detection system that uses infrared technology has been extensively tested in B.C. The system confirmed emissions from newer heavy trucks have been drastically reduced.

Clearing the air Dirty or clean? Comprehensive study examines emissions from trucks in B.C.

Reach us at our Western Canada news bureau

By James Menzies

PM40069240

Contact Jim Bray at: jim@transportationmedia.ca or call 403-453-5558

pg 01, 21, 33 tw may v3.indd 1

VANCOUVER, B.C. – An in-depth report commissioned by Metro Vancouver has been conducted to determine how dirty – or not – the province’s truck fleet is. The study was conducted using remote emissions sensing at 26 locations throughout the Lower Fraser Valley over a 55-day period between July and October. Envirotest Canada set up remote sensing devices at roadside sites, weigh scales and brake check points, which use infrared technology to measure the output of hydrocarbons, NOx, particulate matter and carbon monoxide from heavyduty trucks as they pass through an infrared beam. Emissions from a total of 11,700 heavy vehicles were read, and then traced back to a specific make and model year using the province’s registration database. Out-of-province trucks were included in the study, but could not be assigned a make and model year. A total of 17% of the Class 8 trucks registered in the region were captured in the study. “It was a very thorough study that now tells Metro Vancouver whether they have a problem or they don’t,” Ed Theobald, program and project manager with Envirotest Can-

Careers: 11, 12, 23, 24, 26, 31, 32

ada, told Truck West. “We didn’t do any interpretations; that’s up to Metro Vancouver to make decisions on how to proceed with this information.” Envirotest did, however, offer a number of suggestions, including creation of a “mandatory annual heavy-duty inspection program” that would be “effective, but not overly onerous on heavy-duty vehicle operators.” Envirotest noted: “The newest model vehicles and those with low mileage accumulation could be exempted.” The study found that the emissions standards implemented by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and adopted by Canada, have been effective in drastically reducing PM and NOx. “Certainly, not all trucks are dirty,” Theobald told Truck West. “What we did see is that the condition of the on-road fleet roughly follows the standards that were put in place (in 2007 and 2010).” Interestingly, the technology also identified the “outliers;” those late model tractors with higher than expected PM output, indicating a DPF Delete, or other emissions system tampering, may have been performed. “We saw the outliers,” Theobald said. “We Continued on page 21

To view list of advertisers see pg. 36

The driver shortage is real, it’s already here, and – despite certain opinion that razor-tight capacity is good for the long-term prospects of trucking – a capacity crunch costs carriers and will reign in their ability to grow on what could be the cusp of improving economic conditions, says the president of one of Canada’s largest trucking companies. “It’s a problem, definitely,” says Ed Malysa, president and COO of Calgary-based bulk hauling giant, Trimac Transportation, and a principal player behind the Canadian Trucking Alliance’s Blue Ribbon Task Force (BRTF) on the Driver Shortage. “Despite competitive compensation, we are not able hire the qualified drivers we need for our business. At any given time, we may have a demand for 100 to 125 drivers across Canada.” And while the degree of the shortage varies by sector, Malysa doesn’t buy that the problem is significantly more acute in the West. “I hear people saying things are okay in central Canada, but I can’t find the amount of qualified drivers I need in Quebec either. This shortage is across the board and what I’m seeing is that we are no longer able to get the same drivers we were a few years ago. The workforce is diminishing and the quality is diminishing.” So, where to point the finger? Malysa doesn’t. Instead of just talking about the BRTF as if it were a philosophical stencil, he took one of its pillar themes – that carriers should first look internally to fix problems within their control – and put it to work across his operations. While the BRTF highlights the systemic underpinnings behind the shortage – such as driver demographics, low training qualifications and public perceptions of the job – it is unique in the sense that it doesn’t shy away from more contentious issues such as driver compensation, lifestyle and treatment within the industry. Continued on page 33

13-04-11 2:32 PM

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TRUCK WEST May 2013

May 2013, Volume 24, Issue 5 Canada Post Canadian Publications

ISSN 0700-5016 – Truck West (Print) ISSN 1923-3531 – Truck West (Online) Mail Sales Product Agreement No. 40069240 “Return Postage Guaranteed” 80 Valleybrook Drive, Toronto, ON M3B 2S9 Sales: 416-510-6892 / Editorial: 416-510-6896 Fax: 416-510-5143 Truck West, USPS 017-178 is published monthly by BIG Magazines L.P., a div. of Glacier BIG Holdings Company Ltd., a leading Canadian information company with interests in daily and community newspapers and B-2-B information services. US office of publication: 2424 Niagara Falls Blvd, Niagara Falls, NY 14304-5709. Periodicals Postage Paid at Niagara Falls, NY. US postmaster: Send address changes to Truck West, PO Box 1118, Niagara Falls, NY 14304. SENIOR PUBLISHER – Rob Wilkins ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER – Kathy Penner EXECUTIVE EDITOR – James Menzies MANAGING EDITOR – Adam Ledlow CIRCULATION MANAGER – Mary Garufi CIRCULATION ASSISTANT – Anita Singh CREATIVE– Carolyn Brimer, Beverley Richards V.P. PUBLISHING – Alex Papanou PRESIDENT – Bruce Creighton Circulation inquiries: 416-442-5600 ext. 3553 Change of address: Please include subscription number from mailing label. Subscription rates: Canada (Includes GST) – One year $40.60; U.S. – one year $66.95; foreign – one year $66.95 Send subscription orders, address changes (incl. mailing label from latest issue) to above address. On occasion, our subscription list is made available to organizations whose products or services may be of interest to readers. If you prefer not to receive such information, please write to us. Please allow 8 weeks for changes or corrections.

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pg 03 tw may v3.indd 3

Do you know a special O/O? Editorial Comment James Menzies

knew I was opening a can of worms when I wrote last month that tampering with, or deleting, emissions systems was a short-sighted solution for frustrated fleet owners and owner/operators. I don’t think any one issue has touched the nerves of so many of you since the speed limiter debate (remember those good times)? As you know, we’ve never been ones to shy away from controversial topics, and I’m intrigued and heartened by the dialogue we’ve begun. You can find a sampling of your reaction to our coverage on pg. 24, and yes, most of it contends truck owners should be allowed to disable their emissions systems until reliability of these systems is improved. The discussion about emissions system tampering has not been limited to the pages of Truck West, either. While we shone a spotlight on this issue with our coverage, the merits of emissions system tampering are being debated online, in personal blogs, on message boards and via social media. One trucker has gone so far as to post a blog that argues owner/operators have no choice but to delete their DPF systems, or face certain bankruptcy. To that, I say BS. I’m not going to tell you that the emissions systems on newer model trucks have been without their issues. Most of the OEMs acknowledge that downtime is a se-

rious concern among truck buyers, and they’re working hard to address it through things like remote diagnostics. Volvo rolled out a new program last month that pays customers for excessive downtime related to warrantable repairs (see pg. 64). If that doesn’t demonstrate confidence that downtime is improving, then what does? But that’s beside the point. Getting back to owner/operators, it’s disingenuous to claim they have no hope of survival in the current era of smog-free engines. Many owner/ operators are thriving and yes, many are doing it in late model tractors. I have, on my desk, a stack of nominations for our 20th annual Owner/Operator of the Year award as proof that there’s no shortage of O/ Os who are doing well for themselves. They come from all over Canada, they haul all kinds of stuff behind all types of trucks. They’ve been nominated because of their passion for the business, their contributions to the industry and their communities and because of their business acumen. As always, choosing just one will be difficult. That said, we urge you to continue nominating deserving candidates between now and the deadline in late May. The winner will receive $6,000 in cash, an expense-paid trip for them and their spouse to Toronto, a diamond ring and an assortment of other gifts.

SmartWay to fuel savings ith fuel being such a large and volatile part of every carrier’s costs, can there be any better strategy than striving towards the best fuel efficiency your fleet can reasonably attain? What if pursuing such a strategy also helped your fleet stand out from the more than 10,000 for-hire carriers currently doing business in Canada, potentially opening doors to new accounts? Those are the opportunities presented by the arrival of SmartWay into Canada for carriers progressive enough to grasp them. Originally launched by the US Environmental Protection Agency in 2004, SmartWay is now administered in Canada by Natural Resources Canada. It works by linking shippers with an interest in greening their supply chains with SmartWay-recognized fuel-efficient carriers. I’m taking part in a national information tour launched this spring by Natural Resources Canada and Supply Chain and Logistics Association Canada. The tour, which has already touched down in Vancouver and Toronto, aside from providing a great deal of information about what

The view with Lou Lou Smyrlis it takes to be part of SmartWay, also lets you hear first hand from a panel of stakeholders who are already part of program. There are more than 3,000 shippers, logistics companies and freight carriers currently in SmartWay, including almost 300 Canadian companies. There are large purchasers of transportation services for whom being part of SmartWay is becoming key to getting their freight, and that trend will grow. Consider what David Patterson, director of transportation management at Ryder, and one of the participants on my stakeholder panel, had to say. Ryder, one of the continent’s largest purchasers of transportation services, has been part of SmartWay since 2004 and promoted the program to its clients. Ryder managed 1.6 billion miles in 2011, the most recent full year of data. The 499 SmartWay carriers doing business with Ryder averaged 2.9 million annual miles with the 3PL. The nonSmartWay carriers averaged less than 123,000 annual miles. In fact, a stag-

This is a special year for the award. It’s our 20th year doing it, making it the longest running and most prestigious award of its kind, and to celebrate, we’ve made some changes to the format. This year, the entire experience will be built around the individual who wins this prestigious award. We will be building an individualized itinerary just for them, which best reflects their individual personality and interests. On a personal note, presenting the

Owner/Operator of the Year award is always a highlight. Poring through the nominations is equally gratifying. There can only be one winner, but the entire process shows an abundance of passion, dedication and yes, success, within the owner/operator community. Do you know someone who’s deserving of this award? Check out the nomination form on pg. 20. James Menzies can be reached by phone at (416) 510-6896 or by e-mail at jmenzies@trucknews.com. You can also follow him on Twitter at Twitter.com/JamesMenzies.

gering 91% of all freight miles managed by Ryder are now contracted with SmartWay carriers. Tammy White, business development executive at XTL, was also part of my panel at the Toronto session and what she shared about XTL’s savings was impressive. Prior to 2011, XTL’s reefers were on manual start/stop and basically ran constantly. Last year the company invested in Intelliset technology, which provides programmable start/stop on each unit at various temperature intervals. By doing so it reduced 150 hours of use per unit per year and cut its energy costs 36% per unit per year. In another fuel-saving initiative, it reduced its acceptable idling time for its tractors to five minutes. With the cost of idling a tractor calculated at $4.50/gallon, the potential savings in fuel could amount to $50,000 per year if drivers are properly educated and the program is properly controlled. And those are just two of several fuel saving projects at XTL. The next sessions are scheduled for May 30 in Winnipeg, followed by Cornwall June 4 and Calgary, June 6. They are worth your time. For more information go to: www.SmartWay.nrcan.gc.ca. Lou Smyrlis can be reached by phone at (416) 510-6881 or by e-mail at lou@TransportationMedia.ca. You can also follow him on Twitter at Twitter.com/LouSmyrlis.

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Page 4 TRUCK WEST

May 2013

Monthly Class 8 Sales – Feb 13 The down note with which Class 8 truck sales started the year continued in February with sales dropping below 2,000 for the second consecutive month after more than a year of monthly sales above that total. The drop also reflects a 5-month slide below last year’s totals. All truck makers, with the exception of Volvo, have suffered setbacks in sales totals compared to the previous year.

OEM

Historical Comparison – Feb 13 Sales

This Month Last Year

Freightliner

458

598

International

250

314

Kenworth

360

450

Mack

120

152

Peterbilt

256

329

Volvo

219

157

Western Star

145

151

TOTALS

1808

2151

Historical Comparison – YTD Feb 13

Class 8 Sales (YTD Feb 13) by Province and OEM OEM

ALTA

SASK

MAN

ONT

QUE

PEI

Freightliner

102

135

426

137

CDA 961

Kenworth

126

303

116

730

Mack

241

International

121

276

119

588

Peterbilt

190

132

544

Volvo

136

340

Western Star

142

320

TOTALS

410

978

169

204

1,094

678

113

3,724

12-Month Sales Trends

Market Share Class 8 – Feb 13 YTD

3,200 2,800 2,400 2,000 1,600 1,200 800 400 0 Sales

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

January

February

2,937

2,597

3,166

2,861

2,542

2,517

2,392

2,575

2,411

2,326

1,916

1,808

company product

company product A

company product

company product A

After 15 straight months of sales coming in above the 2,000 mark, reminiscent of the industry’s capacity boom years of 2005 to 2007, they dropped slightly below 2,000 in January and yet again in February. Over the past quarter, we have been pointing to the worrisome trend of sales declining each month since October. In fact, sales have been in general decline since the year’s high mark of 3,166 back in May. Early forecasts call for a slow first quarter and a pick-up in activity by the second half of 2013.

Chevron Global Lubricants.indd 4

Freightliner, last year’s Canadian market leader, has started off strong again, despite a drop in sales totals compared to the previous year. Kenworth finished 2012 in the number two spot for market share, its strong western network tapping into the stronger western economy. The company sits at 20% market share. Troubled Navistar International finished the year with 14% market share but has shown improvement in the first two months. Peterbilt has moved upwards to now grab a 15% share.

Source: Canadian Motor Vehicle Manufacturers Association

So far, with sales of 3,724 Class 8 trucks, 2013 is more than 500 units behind last year’s pace but about 600 units above the 5-year average. Assuming an 8-year life cycle for Class 8 trucks (a truck could go through several owners during this period), there are more than 35,000 trucks due for renewal in 2013. If in fact all those trucks are renewed that would put 2013 on pace with the sales totals posted in 2005, the second best Class 8 sales year in Canadian history. But after two months of disappointing results, it’s looking less likely that plateau will be reached.

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13-04-10 11:45 AM

in brief

TRUCK WEST may 2013

Truck manufacturer CEOs B.C. Trucking Association joins see steady 2013, with better Trucks For Change Network prospects for growth ahead By James Menzies LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The North American truck market will remain flat this year, with better prospects for growth in the coming years, according to truck manufacturer and supplier executives who dared make a prediction at this year’s Mid-America Trucking Show. But perhaps the most honest projection came from Martin Daum, president and CEO of Daimler Trucks North America. “There are two things I absolutely know for sure for 2013,” he said. “Number one is that any number I give you now is wrong. The real number will be either higher or lower. That’s the thing I know for sure. Everything else has certain uncertainty.” Joking aside, Daum said early indications are that industry-wide NAFTA Classes 6-8 sales are on pace to be 15-20% lower than last year. He said Daimler’s official estimate for industry demand is plus or minus 10% from last year’s totals. Still, he said there’s reason for optimism. “We have about 200,000-250,000 units of deferred demand,” he said, adding this is especially the case in the vocational markets. Andreas Renschler, the outgoing head of Daimler Trucks globally, noted: “NAFTA was one of the pillars of growth in 2012, and a major reason Daimler Trucks did well in spite of a challenging global environment.” He added: “The business remains a growth business. By the end of this decade alone, the global truck market is expected to grow by another 2.2 million units.” Other OEM executives who commented on expectations for 2013 shared Daimler’s sentiment that this year will be flat. Gary Moore, general manager of Kenworth, and Bill Kozek, who holds the same position with Peterbilt, both estimated the Canada/US Class 8 market will total 210,000-240,000 vehicles this year, compared to last year’s tally of 225,000 trucks. Moore said this year’s sales will be “driven by the ongoing replacement of aging fleets.” Kozek noted that if sales come in at the higher end of that range, at 240,000 units, “it would be the fourth largest market in US and Canadian history.” Kevin Flaherty, president, Mack Trucks North American Sales and Marketing, said his company also is projecting industry-wide sales to be in the same range as last year’s. Joe McAleese, president and CEO of Bendix, has been known to be more conservative than some of his peers when projecting total commercial vehicle sales. But he shared the sentiment that sales will be steady this year, and expressed optimism that the market will strengthen significantly in the years ahead. “I see the commercial vehicle industry overall being very well positioned for a few great years ahead,” McAleese said. “I believe we’re on the verge of

pg 05 tw may v3.indd 5

posting better years – better than those seen in some time – beginning as early as 2014.” McAleese cited the average age of the fleet, a driver shortage that will force up rates, and increasing truck tonnage as indicators that the industry is poised for a rebound. He said the Class 8 market this year will be flat, to down 5%. However, over the next two years he expects a 10-15% improvement. And that’s based on GDP growth of just 2-2.5%. “If you had a robust economy, you could see much bigger numbers than that,” he said.

LANGLEY, B.C. – The British Columbia Trucking Association (BCTA) has joined forces with the Trucks For Change Network (TFCN), a national nonprofit association of member trucking and logistics companies that facilitates transportation services to charities across Canada. Members of Trucks For Change, founded in Ontario in 2011, support their communities with in-kind services where it’s possible and cost-effective to do so. The organization provides an online charity load-posting tool, which allows carriers that join the Network to find charity requests they can support and respond with offers of reduced-rate or donated service. “BCTA is proud to endorse the efforts of the Trucks For Change Network to engage the industry in supporting charities in their communities and across the country,” said Louise Yako, BCTA president and CEO. “TFCN’s goals are consistent with BCTA’s goals of promoting an environmentally and socially responsible commercial road transportation industry in B.C.” The Trucks For Change Network already has several member carriers based or with terminals in B.C. and assists national charities with affiliate organizations in the province, including Food Banks Canada and Habitat For Humanity Canada.

13-04-11 6:14 PM

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DURASEAL HELPED LORNE PROTECT HIS TIRES. AND DEFLATE HIS TIRE BUDGET.

Lorne Larson

Owner, Larson Manag ement

When Lorne started his company with 5 or 6 trucks, tires were his biggest cost. Flats were especially costly, as unpaved and unforgiving oil patch terrain was causing an average of 2–3 per day. But ever since he switched his fleet over to Goodyear Duraseal tires, he gets fewer than that per month—even though he’s now running 120 trucks. Duraseal has cut his direct costs and his downtime, improving his operational efficiency and his bottom line.

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border

TRUCK WEST May 2013

New US food safety regs will impact Canadian food haulers By James Menzies NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The impending US Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) will have major implications for Canadian refrigerated trucking companies that haul in or out of the US, as well as Canadian food companies that export product there. During a presentation to the Technology & Maintenance Council here in March, Bud Rodowick, manager, fleet performance with Thermo King, said carriers should be communicating with their customers to find out how they’ll be affected by the sweeping legislation. The FSMA, described by Rodowick as “the most expansive changes in food safety legislation since 1938,” was enacted Jan. 4, 2011, but sat idle until after the US election. Now, lawmakers are acting on the legislation and putting it into effect. “This is a huge act, that’s very complex and enormous in size,” Rodowick warned, adding it gives the Food and Drug Administration “sweeping new powers,” including the ability to send people to prison for felonies related to the careless or negligent handling of food. Under the new rules, food companies will be required to demonstrate care of their products through the entire supply chain, or from “field to fork.” This, of course, extends to the transportation of their products. “You’re a big part of that, but you just haven’t been made aware of it,” Rodowick said to trucking company executives and maintenance managers in attendance. There are 450 sections in the act, and four key ones impact transportation providers, Rodowick said. These sections include: preventative controls and hazard analysis, traceability, sanitary transportation of food and the intentional adulteration of food. To comply with the regulations, food companies will have to produce a written food safety plan, specific to each facility, outlining hazard analysis, preventative controls, monitoring procedures, corrective action procedures, verification procedures and a recall plan. They’ll be required to retain all records related to such a plan for two years, and to provide them to FDA upon request. “This is going to be burdensome,” Rodowick said. “This is a great opportunity for you to be talking to the food facilities you haul for and saying ‘What does your preventative control plan look like and am I going to be a part of that?” The new regulations also will require a product tracing system that can be used to track and trace all food products that are produced in, or imported into, the US. Rodowick said the requirements are likely to include a temperature traceability aspect, meaning the FDA will want to see proof that food was transported at the proper temperature throughout its journey. While it will be up to food manufacturers and shippers to comply with the new FSMA requirements, there’s no doubt trucking companies

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Food carriers hauling in or out of US will likely be caught up in FSMA.

will be a vital part of any compliance plan, Rodowick warned. “FSMA is evolving, and it’s important to understand how compliance requirements will affect your customers and you,” he said. He urged

carriers to “Visit with your food facility customers and understand how they intend to be in compliance with those requirements and what those requirements mean to you.” A final rule is expected to be published in 2014, with full enforcement in place by 2015. It’s likely shippers will begin insisting on more transparency and control over the transportation of their products, which could bring new costs on trucking companies if they have to upgrade their fleets to provide more visibility and remote control over reefer temperatures. “If I was a fleet, I would want to grasp and clearly understand what the intentions of my shippers are and based on those intentions, I would be sitting down to figure out what tech-

nologies can we retrofit and what can we buy new? Let’s get prepared for this so we can transition to this in the next year,” Rodowick said. “I’m trying to champion you guys to start talking about it now so there’s no sticker shock.” Lori Coleman of Gordon Food Services moderated the discussion, and added that her fleet will be leaning heavily on trailer manufacturers to come to the table with solutions. For instance, she predicted the rules will eventually require trailer doors to remain locked at all times while parked and in transit, and a simple padlock isn’t an adequate solution. She also suggested trailers will need to come up with better options for compartmentalizing product from various shippers.

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Date: MARCH 21, 2013

Size: 8.125” X 10.875”

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Publication: FLEET EXECUTIVE This file was prepared by

T 403.539.2000 F 403.264.2705

13-04-10 4:09 PM

HERE TO WORK AS lOng AS YOU DO

You deserve a vocational truck that puts in the same long hours as you do. According to Kevin Medford of Medford Trucking, drivers who get behind the wheel of the Cat® Truck with its CX31 automatic transmission quickly appreciate its shift-long comfort and productivity. “If they drive the truck, they’ll like it and they’ll buy it,” he says. “We’ll probably put six more or so in our fleet in the near future.” That’s because the Cat Truck combines ease of operation with the rugged durability you expect from Caterpillar—keeping your performance high 24/7. learn more—and see how the Cat Truck is hard at work for Medford Trucking and others—at DriveCat.com/testimonials.

Scan this QR code to see Cat Truck owners share their experiences. © 2013 Caterpillar Inc. All Rights Reserved CAT, CATERPILLAR, their respective logos, “Caterpillar Yellow” and the “Power Edge” trade dress, as well as corporate and product identity used herein, are trademarks of Caterpillar and may not be used without permission.

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4/1/13 4:05 PM 13-04-09 11:42 AM

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TRUCK WEST May 2013

US food safety regs may require wider use of reefer telematics By James Menzies NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Producers and shippers of food products in the US are likely to be looking for increased visibility of their products as they are transported through the supply chain, when the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) is fully implemented in the next couple of years. What does this mean to refrigerated trucking companies? John Penizotto, executive director of business development w it h Internat ional Telematics, told a Technology & Maintenance Council audience that shippers will be demanding their carriers employ the use of telematics, and that it’s a good idea to get ahead of the game. There are three forms of telematics solutions currently available on the market, which provide insight into not only the location, but also the temperature of a product. They include: one-way, Web-enabled; two-way, remote Web-enabled; and probes/sensors. One-way, web-enabled solutions allow a fleet or shipper to monitor the temperature and location of its product online. Two-way, web-enabled solutions allow the fleet manager or shipper to remotely adjust temperatures, change settings and turn a reefer on or off without physically touching the unit. These systems must be licensed by the manufacturer of the trailer refrigeration unit, since they tap into the refrigeration unit’s microprocessor. The third option includes probes and sensors, which can be installed inside a trailer or directly onto the product itself. These sensors can also monitor door openings and closings. Two-way telematics systems are typically connected to the refrigeration unit’s microprocessor through a JBus connection. The user can perform a wide range of activities remotely, including initiating a defrost, selecting pre-set programs, or changing set points. “Some have the ability to stop and start the reefer without having to touch it,” Penizotto said. “The newer the technology, the more options you will have to be able to control the reefer.” Temperature probes can be wired or wireless, and attached to the trailer walls or directly onto the freight itself. Wireless probes are mated to a specific refrigeration unit by serial number, and can’t be swapped between trailers without reprogramming. Hard-wired probes collect and store information that can then be downloaded into a Web-based program. The benefits of all these solutions are that transporters and shippers gain “complete visibility and tracking through their chain of custody,” Penizotto explained. The systems also can store data onto a server where it’s available for a predetermined period of time and easily retrieved when needed. “They key question to ask (of providers) is how long is that data

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stored?” Penizotto said. eration units when the trailers are The systems allow trucking comin the yard. panies to provide an enhanced serThe use of telematics moves fleets vice to their customers. Penizotaway from passive information colto cited the example of geofencing, which can be used to send a report to a receiver the moment the truck pulls into a distribution centre, informing them of the temperature within the trailer before it even backs up to the loading dock to pick up product. John Penizotto Tr uc k i n g f l e e t s benefit from wireless telematics as well, lecting into a more active process. Penizotto said, since they save on “With this technology, you’re getting tools and labour by not having to physically pull data from the refrigreal-time information as it happens,”

‘The newer the technology, the more options you will have to be able to control the reefer.’

Penizotto said. When choosing a system, Penizotto said to consider integration with other dispatch, payroll and warehousing management systems. “You’re going to want the technologies talking to each other,” he pointed out. It’s also necessary to decide who has access to the information and how much information is collected. Progressive fleets are already employing telematics. Penizotto said McDonald’s is one example of a customer that’s demanding greater visibility of its food products as they move through the supply chain. The company probes its products, providing 15-minute snapshots of its temperature and condition while on a truck.

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opinion

TRUCK WEST May 2013

Trying to maintain a positive outlook aking my own advice, I’m going to be positive this month, so I apologize in advance for any disappoint ment t his may cause. First up, a shout-out to Bison Transport, for listening to their drivers. A friend of mine works there and came back from some home time to find his tractor unit had new steer tires fitted. He expressed concern at the choice of tires, as he didn’t like the ride they gave. They were a first life tire from a well-respected manufacturer, but my friend is rather picky and he preferred the ride from his previous set. He was asked to try them for one trip and if he had any concerns, they would be swapped out for his favoured tire choice. He didn’t like them, they swapped them out. Not often do you hear of a company listening to a driver and bending over backwards to keep him happy, so well done Bison. And speaking of Bison, they’ve gone above and beyond once again. This time it concerns their driver’s butts. Instead of kicking them, Bison is giving some of them a Bose Ride System to gently cosset them as they roll down the road. This system will pay dividends in the long run. They’re initially expensive, but they are not just a fancy seat – they are indeed a ride system. If you’ve ever seen a demonstration of them, you’ll know what I mean. They are an amazing piece of technology and will greatly contribute to a driver’s long-term health, especially on the torn-up roads we have to ride on. Speaking of which, now that winter has finally gone south, we have the other Canadian season: construction. I know I’m pushing the boundaries of positivity here, but it is a good thing, like visiting a dentist when you have a toothache is a good thing. Sure it causes a little pain in the short term, but long term, you’ll be in a much better place. Road improvements are good for all of us, so please bear that in mind as you sit in a back-up; it’s all happening for a good reason. Something else the change in weather brings is holiday traffic – this can be very frustrating at times. They meander along without a care in the world, getting in the way of us folks who earn our living on the roads. They’re even worse when we stop for a coffee; the line-up goes right around the store, they stand there staring at the menu like they’ve never set foot in a Timmies before and what usually takes no more than five minutes seems to take an eternity. It’s enough to drive you crazy, but think about this, if people can afford to take a holiday it means they have money in the bank and money in the bank means a thriving economy and a thriving economy means plenty of freight, so it’s good for all of us. Now it’s my turn. This is the year I’m finally going to become incredibly wealthy and it’s all thanks to trucking. So how am I going to do

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You say tomato I say tomahto Mark Lee this? Simple, I’m going to buy a few truckloads of yellow paint and sell it to B.C.’s Department of Transportation. Judging by the almost complete lack of road markings in the province, they obviously cannot get yellow paint. This should make me a decent profit and I’m going to invest that in road salt, which I’ll sell to Saskatchewan. Again it’s something they cannot seem to get hold of anywhere, judging by the almost total absence

of the stuff on their highways this past winter. This gives me a dilemma; do I buy a new truck with my newly acquired wealth? You’ve read in the past my feelings on the new trucks and my disgust at the reliability issues they present. However, I have only concentrated on the negatives and there’s no place for any of that in this column. So back to the positives. Not all new trucks break down. Using my own figures to beat myself up, more than half are never in the shop for anything but routine maintenance. They’re far more comfortable than the older models, far quieter and a lot of attention has been paid to mak-

ing them very driver-friendly inside the cab, especially the bunk areas. They also achieve spectacular fuel consumption figures, to the point where the fuel savings, compared to an older classic truck, can take care of the payments, which means that it won’t cost me a penny, the truck will pay for itself. Wow! I made it through a whole column without any negativity. Not only am I proud of that achievement, I’m also going to take great pleasure in collecting the $20 I bet my wife, who said I couldn’t pull it off. Happy days. A fourth generation trucker andtrucking journalist, Mark Lee uses his 25 years of transcontinental trucking in Europe, Asia, North Africa and now North America to provide an alternative view of life onthe road. You can read his blog at www.brandttruck.com/blog.

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over the road

TRUCK WEST May 2013

The importance of a support network

o you found that deep desire to make a lifestyle change, then you took it one step further and put a plan together to tackle that change. Doing this filled you with energy and motivation for the first month but you’re discovering that implementing that plan each day is not so easy. When you woke up this morning, your first thought was of how little time was available to get to your first drop or pick. The morning walk you planned is going to have to wait. You were going to follow up that walk with cereal and fresh fruit in the truck. No time for that either. A reheated breakfast sandwich from the truck stop along with a coffee on the fly is how you start your day. That’s a bit of a step back for you. After looking after your morning business you’ll take a two-hour break and have that walk along with a healthy lunch. But you’re delayed at the shipper and dispatch just sent you a message, your pick-up appointment has been moved forward this afternoon. On top of that it’s starting to rain. You’re not going for a walk in the rain, even if you did have the time. Now you’re hungry, frustrated, and short on time, so for lunch you opt for the meal deal at the restaurant

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Over the road Al Goodhall across the street from where you are parked. You can go for that walk when the day is over and you’ll keep dinner to the soup and salad that you have in the truck. That will make up for the breakfast and lunch plans that didn’t pan out as you planned. At least you hope that’s the way the rest of the day will go. Does this sound familiar? Despite all your best intentions and desire to do a better job of caring for yourself, trucking will always throw roadblocks in your way. You can’t be blamed for throwing up your hands on days like this and telling yourself it’s simply not doable, but it is, believe me. These are the times you need a network of support to help you along. Support can come in many different forms. One of the best things you can do to support yourself and stay motivated in the short term is to measure your progress. Recording your weight and calculating your BMI (Body Mass Index) once or twice per month is one of

the simplest ways to track progress. Recording your RHR (Resting Heart Rate) once per month is a great way to track improvements to your cardiac health from those walks you’re taking. Simple things you can record on a calendar and look at each day to remind yourself of the benefits to the effort you’re putting forth and to keep you motivated. One of the greatest supports can come in the form of your smartphone or laptop. I’ve mentioned a number of times the importance of counting calories and a smartphone application makes this quick and simple to do. Not only do these apps track your calories in and out, and the composition of your food, (fats, protein, carbs, etc.) most of them also have a social media aspect to them. You can share information on your progress with people of your choosing. This is a fantastic way to find support. It adds a challenge in the way of a little competition with friends and gives you some people to share with when you are facing difficulties in sticking to your program. What about the carrier you work for? Do they support a healthy lifestyle for their drivers? They should, because besides being the right thing to do for their employees it also is very beneficial to their bottom line.

Do they have an EAP (Employee Assistance Program) you can make use of to meet your weight-loss goals, to help you quit smoking, or to help you deal with the daily stresses you face? What about your family? Have you included the people closest to you in your plans? Again, this is an area where social media can play a strong role for truck drivers and their families. I use Facebook as a means to stay in regular daily contact with my immediate family. It’s one of the great advantages we have over drivers of the past. Networks of support are almost endless. The Canadian Cancer Society, Heart & Stroke Foundation, your local YMCA or health club, as well as all levels of government, just to name a few, have vast resources of information and personnel available to you. It’s no easy feat to spend your life on the road and care for yourself at the same time. Taking that time is difficult to do; I speak from experience. Yet every time I take my wife into my arms and look into her eyes I am reminded of the benefits the future holds for me by caring for myself today. There’s no bigger reward than that. Al Goodhall has been a professional long-haul driver since 1998. He shares his experiences via his ‘Over the Road’ blog at http://truckingacrosscanada. blogspot.com. You can also follow him on Twitter at Twitter.com/Al_Goodhall.

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opinion

TRUCK WEST May 2013

Too many truckers can’t do math

’ve written in the past that I think driving school practices and commercial driving exams should have a serious overhaul. I think this revamp should include a math test. It seems far too many truck drivers, despite possessing other admirable skills, just can’t add. This issue is more apparent at a smaller carrier, because we have more personal contact with our drivers and owner/ operators. I’ve preached for years that truck manufacturers should not be allowed to have their own lending divisions. Far too many drivers have become owner/operators who, had they needed to present a business plan to a traditional lending institution, would still be company drivers. As a small carrier, I prefer to have a vacancy than a full roster of owner/operators with poor finance management skills. Exhibit A is the recruitment ads seen in magazines and truck stops. Those that garner the most attention are the largest and most graphically impressive. Pay levels rarely matter. Drivers traditionally flock to the larger carriers, or those with shiny new equipment. We have all seen drivers reject work with a perfectly good company with good equipment and home time, to work for another carrier that may pay less or offer less home time, but offered some splashy iron to drive. Owner/operators are equally guilty, often leaning towards larger companies for the supposed job security. The last few years have exhibited the inconsistency of job security everywhere. My advice: narrow your choices to a job description you like, then follow the money. We’ve all met that owner/op or driver who grumbles about making just enough money to survive, but refuses to consider changing jobs, or even the lanes they travel. There are drivers that will drive in any weather, in any traffic, but are horrified with the thought of changing jobs for their own betterment. I know of some small companies that still pay their owner/ops when the customer pays. These carriers usually don’t have fuel cards either, yet licence and insurance costs are deducted either bi-weekly or monthly. After spending their own cash on fuel for two weeks, it’s still possible for the O/O to be handed a negative paycheque, because nothing they’ve hauled over the past two weeks has been paid yet. Despite that, many of these carriers boast owner/operators who have been on staff for several years. Why? Exhibit B is the attitude of some drivers that someone else will always take care of their bad situation. Recently, we’ve heard complaints from tri-axle dump truck owners working on the new Windsor Expressway. They don’t feel that $63 per hour is enough, and I completely agree. The problem is, these operators agreed to work for that. That rate was fine a year ago, but unacceptable now. A similar scenario happened years ago, when owner/operators with large auto parts haulers went on “strike,” protesting insufficient fuel surcharges. The Ontario Transport Minister even got involved to negotiate for these poor souls who were supposedly about to lose

Small Fleet, Big Attitude Bill Cameron

their trucks, while those in other sectors thrived. My opinion was that all involved were fools. The Transport Minister was far removed from his duties, and as far as the O/Os were concerned: quit your job, and your whining. If the car parts hauler were suddenly 20 trucks short, rates would increase. If not, there are hundreds of other jobs to choose from. Exhibit C is those who are paid percentage, yet are still trapped in the mile-

age pay mindset. I once employed a capable yet argumentative person who was firmly in this category. He once unloaded at the bottom of West Virginia. When told his backhaul was near the top of the state, he angrily asked if there was nothing closer. There was another load 40 miles away, but since it paid $50 less, I suggested that he travel West Virginia’s hills empty rather than loaded, and enjoy his extra $50. His response: “Okay, but dammit watch these empty miles!” You can’t reason with someone so unaware of basic financial logic. Other owner/operators hate travelling to areas where backhauls are traditionally scarce or cheap. A good carrier will charge accordingly for the headhaul, so even with a

bad backhaul, the revenue is still on target. Exhibit D are those who still don’t understand fuel economy. Jobs change, but how many are running relatively flat country with tandem trailers, in a truck with 600 hp? How much money is flying straight out the stacks? Many long-time flatbedders still have high-rise bunks, costing a minimum of three quarters of a mile per gallon. Do your own math on the annual cost of that. The phrase that infuriates me most is: “We’ve always done it that way.” This industry is constantly evolving, so frankly, if this is your policy, you’re going backwards. Don’t be afraid to change your habits or employment, and get new batteries in your adding machine. Bill Cameron and his wife Nancy currently own and operate Parks Transportation, a four-truck flatdeck trucking company. Bill can be reached at williamcameron.bc@gmail.com.

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13-04-10 2:38 PM

trailers

TRUCK WEST may 2013

Trailer underride guards put to the test By Kelly Taylor A Canadian-made transport trailer is being hailed by American safety experts as the gold standard for protecting drivers and passengers of cars that crash into the trailer’s rear. Dry vans manufactured by Quebecbased Manac and sold under trade names Manac and Trailmobile were the only trailers to pass all three tests of the trailers’ rear underride guards conducted by the Virginia-based Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). The trailers that failed included American trailers built to tougher Canadian standards for rear underride guards, prompting the IIHS to call for standards that more closely approximate the results of the Manac trailers. Underride guards came into prominence after the death of actress Jayne Mansfield, who in 1967 was riding in a 1966 Buick Electra when it crashed into a stopped transport trailer near New Orleans. The greenhouse of the car was sheared off, Mansfield and the driver died instantly. The guards, also known as Mansfield bars, transfer the structure of the trailer from deck height down to a lev-

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el more compatible with cars. Without them, or when they fail, the car can ride under the deck with often-catastrophic results. “Modern vehicles are built to handle severe frontal crashes,” said IIHS spokesman Russ Rader. “The crashabsorbing structures in the front of the vehicle are designed to crush and absorb impact and keep it away from the passenger compartment. If the car engages with the underride guard, and the guard stays in place, the front of the car crushes like it would hitting any other vehicle and people could walk away from a crash like that. But if the guard gives way and the car slides under the vehicle, then all bets are off. And you’ve missed all the important safety features in the front of the car. With the stronger Canadian standards, as we’ve seen, these kinds of underrides can be prevented,” Rader said. The IIHS tested the bars in fullwidth crashes, 50% overlap (where the end of the bar is at the centre of the car) and at 30% overlap, the toughest standard. (The IIHS chose 30% because that was the minimum amount of impact that could still result in the trailer striking the head of the Continued on page 18

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trailers

TRUCK WEST may 2013

Canadian-made trailer only one to pass all three tests Continued from page 16

occupant on the side of impact). A 2010 Chevrolet Malibu was used for all tests, chosen because it is has earned the institute’s Top Safety Pick. Using a Top Safety Pick helps ensure the results reflect flaws in trailer design rather than flaws in the test vehicle’s safety mechanisms. All trailers tested passed a full-width impact, sufficiently transferring crash forces to the structure of the trailer and allowing the car’s crush zones to properly protect the passengers. All but one, those build by Vanguard, passed the 50% overlap test and all but the Manac trailers failed the 30% overlap test (see chart for complete results). The Manac trailers passed, according to the IIHS analysis, because the

vertical supports that hold the bars near car bumper height are attached more closely to the outside of the trailer and to a reinforced mounting position on the trailer deck. The typical failure resulted from horizontal bars that bent outside the vertical supports or those where the vertical support on the side of impact failed. “What we’re trying to do is encourage the transportation industry to purchase the trailers that meet the tougher standards,” Rader said. Bob Dolyniuk, executive director of the Manitoba Trucking Association, said the trucking industry keeps safety as a top priority, but wonders about the fairness of offloading additional equipment costs to truckers on an issue that rarely, if ever, is the

Crash test results for eight top-selling trailers full-width Great Dane Hyundai Manac Stoughton Strick Utility Vanguard Wabash

trucker’s fault. “It’s affecting our industry’s equipment costs because of the need to prevent people from hurting themselves,”

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Dolyniuk said. “We’re not opposed to safety. But we’d like to see some responsibility on the other side.” “Almost all motor vehicle crashes involve drivers making mistakes, but the sentence for a mistake shouldn’t be death,” Rader countered. “Our tests demonstrate that underride in crashes can be prevented with relatively inexpensive changes to the guards on trailers. Manac made a change that added 20 lbs to the guard and cost about $20.” Still, Dolyniuk would like to see some action by vehicle manufacturers and governments to increase the training and examination standards of drivers of passenger vehicles. It’s an issue that goes beyond underride guards and covers all aspects of how vehicles share the road. Dolyniuk said too few passenger car drivers understand the dynamics of truck-trailer combinations, specifically, the trucker’s ability to begin moving and to stop moving. He said more work needs to be done to help drivers understand how to interact safely with transport trucks on the roadway. David Zuby, chief research officer for the IIHS, said in a press release that a benefit to the industry from stronger underride guards is that after a crash, the underride guard is often the only part of the trailer to require repairs, helping mitigate crash costs. “If trailer manufacturers can make guards that do a better job of protecting passenger vehicle occupants while also promising lower repair costs for their customers, that’s a win-win,” Zuby said. “While we’re counting on NHTSA to come up with a more effective regulation, we hope that in the meantime trailer buyers take note of our findings and insist on stronger guards.” Manac said in a release it was pleased with the results. “We are very proud of our performance in the IIHS tests as the results confirm Manac is a North American leader in the design, manufacture and sales of standard and custom semitrailers that are recognized for their advanced technology and superior performance,” said Charles Dutil, Manac’s president. “We take a different approach with the underride guard because under Canadian regulations, it must withstand about twice as much force as required by the US rule at the point where it attaches to its vertical support. The supports of the Manac underride guard are bolted to a reinforced floor and spaced just 18 inches from the edge.”

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Truck News and Truck West are proud to honour Canada’s top Owner/Operator every year. We know Owner/Operators are at the heart of the trucking industry, investing both personally and financially in their businesses. We’re proud to take this opportunity to recognize the best among them. If you know an Owner/Operator who exemplifies professionalism while also demonstrating a clean driving record, a commitment to safety and a track record of community involvement, nominate them for this prestigious award by completing the application form below.

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Email: Number of years in trucking/commodity hauled: Primary truck and engine: Number of vehicles: Contracted to (if applicable): How do you maximize fuel efficiency?: My choice is based on: My choice is based on: n Safe driving record n Industry/community involvement Heroism Safe driving record ❍ Industry/community involvement ❍ n Heroism ❍

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emissions

TRUCK west may 2013

B.C. trucks under the microscope Findings of study will be used to determine whether or not actions are necessary to control truck emissions Continued from page 1

saw that tenth percentile truck, that 2009 model year that was dramatically higher than it should’ve been. There would be a way to identify them.” The remote sensing technology, Theobald said, could be used to find vehicles that were not in compliance with the emissions standards that apply to that particular truck’s model year. He said the technology is sound and reliable, but it would likely be used to refer suspect vehicles for further testing, not to act as judge and jury. “We’d never use it to say you’ve passed or failed (an emissions test),” Theobald said. “We’d use it to say you’re a gross polluter, or you’re so clean that you don’t have to come in for an emissions test.” Currently, heavy vehicles in B.C. don’t require any emissions testing, unless they serve Port Metro Vancouver. The Ministry of Environment, however, has hinted it would consider adapting the province’s Air Care program to the heavy vehicle population, since the common perception is that heavy trucks are heavy polluters. In other parts of North America, remote sensing is used to “clean screen” vehicles that emit so little, they don’t require further emissions testing while identifying gross polluters that should require a closer examination. The Metro Vancouver study did find that newer tractors had substantially lower emissions. “With improved DPF systems, the 2008-2010 models had dramatically lower emissions of PM and modest reductions in NOx,” the report says. “The 2011 and newer models had low emissions of PM and NOx.” The study also debunked the myth that heavy trucks tend to belch smoke. “Anecdotally, the public believes that most heavy-duty trucks emit smoke,” the report read. “In the study, however, relatively few trucks generated visible smoke as observed by RSD (remote sensing device) operators.” In addition to the remote sensing units, Envirotest also deployed a 50-ft. tunnel that was used to collect emissions data. As a truck drives through the tunnel, its exhaust is collected and analyzed by sensors along the top. The results from both collection methods were comparable, the report said. While Metro Vancouver has yet to announce the next steps it will take to control heavy-duty truck emissions, the study seems to suggest older model-year vehicles should be targeted. The study found that the 75% of vehicles built in 2007 and earlier, contributed 90% of the NOx and 98% of soot emissions. “Retiring or retrofitting older vehicles may be one

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significantly cleaner than older vehicles, gross emitters are present in every age group of vehicle.” The study did not find any significant variation in emissions levels among trucks from various jurisdictions. Theobald said truckers were clearly wary of the roadside remote sensing units, and before long were warning each other of their location

strategy for reducing emissions from this sector,” read a memo from Metro Vancouver to the Environment and Parks Committee. The study also found the “gross emitters” – the dirtiest 10% of the overall fleet included in the study – contributed: four to five times more NOx and PM; 11 times more carbon monoxide; and eight times more hydrocarbon than the overall heavy vehicle fleet. Included in this “gross emitter” category are trucks that performed poorly, “due to emisEd Theobald, Envirotest Canada sion control technology failure, or in some cases, tampering with emission controls.” over the CB radio. The findings revealed that: “al“As soon as the trucking industhough more recent model years are try figured out we were at roadside,

‘We tried to make it perfectly clear that this was simply a study; that you’re just a digital point on a reference chart.’

they’d get on the CB radio and say ‘They’re going to fine you!,’” Theobald recalled. “We tried to make it perfectly clear that this was simply a study; that you’re just a digital point on a reference chart.” Still, some drivers attempted to defeat the system, by coasting through the beam without applying the throttle. To obtain an accurate reading, the system requires some acceleration as the truck’s exhaust stack passes through the infrared beam. “We had many readings that we took defeated as they’d decelerate through the beams,” Theobald said. Not to be outdone, RSD operators began locating the readers on slight uphill grades, so truck drivers would have to apply the throttle as they drove through the beam. Accurate readings can be obtained with a vehicle speed ranging anywhere from 10-70 km/h. Whether the Envirotest Canada remote sensing devices will return to B.C. roadsides for enforcement purposes or further studies remains to be seen. Metro Vancouver presented the findings of the study at a recent meeting with the Environment and Parks Committee and will deliberate further before deciding if and how to crack down on heavy truck emissions.

13-04-11 2:33 PM

tax talk

TRUCK WEST May 2013

Surprise! It’s in the contract

s an accountant, I spend a lot of time looking at fine print. Hey, someone has to do it. Most people are put off by legal gobbledegook on a page (probably the writer’s intent all along). While reviewing finance contracts and other legal documents is part of my job, occasionally I’m reminded why it’s so important for clients to go over these documents themselves and to raise questions when something doesn’t make sense. Just because someone sounds smart on paper doesn’t mean he’s right. Unfortunately, it’s not that uncommon for us to find mathematical errors, incor-

Tax Talk Scott Taylor rect interest rates, confusing guarantee terms, missing pages, illegible type – astonishing mistakes in big-dollar contracts. Here are some examples: Bad math: A few years back, we had a client who was getting ready to purchase a new truck. He spent months spec’ing out his vehicle, shopping for a good price, and compiling detailed finance quotes. He found the truck he wanted, but something in the finance contract didn’t add up so he asked me

to check it over. The F&I guy at the dealership had plugged in the right numbers on the purchase price, but the interest rate was different from the one my client was quoted. It would have resulted in a $6,000 overcharge. Fees: Keep your eye open for unnecessary administration or processing fees. These could pop up on the bill of sale or invoice and have innocent names like “filing fees” or “miscellaneous” charges. With what trucks cost these days, you should negotiate to either reduce or eliminate them. If you feel like you’re talking to a brick wall, be ready to take your business to someone else. Don’t think you can always get a good deal with “one-stop shopping.” There

are lots of dealers out there with trucks to sell. Penalties: When reading the fine print, watch for early payout penalties. Banks and finance companies handle these differently: an open loan or line of credit at a bank would carry none, while many equipment finance firms charge 5% of the outstanding principle (they may but waive it if you refinance your next truck with them). What’s quite common in leasing is being forced to pay the outstanding balance plus all the remaining interest on the loan up front, an unpleasant surprise. Guarantees: If you’re a sole proprietor and sign a sales agreement, that piece of paper is a personal guarantee that you’ll pay the lender back. If your business is incorporated, you’ll be asked to sign either a continuing or specific guarantee to be approved for a loan or lease. A specific guarantee deals with only the equipment you’re buying and a continuing one adds all subsequent purchases or leases made with the finance company into the equation. In both cases, the equipment serves as collateral. Often a bank will use a general security agreement, which holds all your personal property as collateral. Yet another type is known as a cross-collateral guarantee: if you have a few loans or leases under one roof and default on one, the firm can hold your other equipment as collateral. Restrictions: If you are thinking about buying a truck and leasing it to another driver, read your contract carefully as many finance companies don’t allow this. Carriers flunk, too: Finance companies aren’t the only ones guilty of bad math. A few months ago I was contacted by an owner/operator who was on with a US-based carrier. The carrier figured his fuel tax and said he owed $1,119.82. “I’m just a trucker and I’m not very smart about these things,” the owner/ operator said, “but something about these fuel tax charges doesn’t seem right. Can you look them over?” I asked him to send me all the details he could. We ran the mileage and fuel through our system and, according to our calculations, the owner/operator didn’t owe the carrier money. He should have received a small refund instead. Now, maybe the carrier made a clerical mistake. Maybe the information the owner/operator provided wasn’t 100% correct. Still, a thousand bucks is a thousand bucks. I think the owner/operator was this close to getting ripped off, but his willingness to ask a “dumb question” and get qualified help saved him a lot of money and aggravation. And yes, he moved on to another carrier.I know it’s tough to find time to review statements and legal documents, and not everyone has the confidence to act when something doesn’t add up. The payoff of getting it right, though, goes beyond what you owe (or is owed to you). It includes fairness and trust. Scott Taylor is vice-president of TFS Group, providing accounting, bookkeeping, tax return preparation, and other business services for owner/operators. Learn more at www.tfsgroup.com or call 800-461-5970.

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13-04-10 2:40 PM

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13-04-09 3:47 PM

mail

TRUCK WEST May 2013

In the April issue of Truck West, we ran a two-part report on emissions system tampering, often referred to as DPF Delete or EGR Delete services. Our investigation found the practice is widespread and the services easily attainable. Readers reacted strongly to the articles. Here’s a sampling of the reaction: I read your article on emission control deactivation with interest and disappointment. As a repair facility owner and technician, I hear, on a daily basis, the horror stories of huge expenses for emission-related repairs and the associated losses from downtime. There are many cases of these issues driving O/Os and small fleets to the edge of bankruptcy, and some over the edge. It is very easy for the government to issue standards for emissions and fuel economy that are (at least on paper) good for the environment. However, when the manufacturers

attempt to attain these standards it is done with a keen eye on maintaining a profit margin. If that means high maintenance costs to the eventual owner of the unit, so be it. Dennis Roberts • As your editorial comment said, some truckers won’t be happy (with the emissions tampering coverage), but I can assure you had I not done something to our engine, I would have been out of business. Twenty grand in one summer at our

local dealer with downtime and tow bills. And since the delete, not one problem. And, I’m saving our environment by using two miles to a gallon less and my customer doesn’t have to hire my competition to do their work. If the builders can make it right, I’m in. If not, leave me alone. I’m a small operator trying to survive. Dan Pries • I can see where you are coming from on this article, and truly believe that this is the way to go. But my question is

why are people going to this extreme? I myself am a small fleet owner of 11 trucks in Northern Ontario and have two 2011 trucks. My son bought one at the same time. We run strictly from Thunder Bay to Sault Ste. Marie and we haul wood chips, so we are at our max of 63,500 kgs. I have received in total, more than $11,000 worth of tow bills for those trucks from mid-January to just recently. The main issue with these trucks is the wiring that is poorly done and sensors. These trucks are just not down for a day or two, but a week at a time. This is very costly and there is no way that you can ever get your downtime back. It seems like yes, we need to save the environment and I won’t argue that fact. But we burn more fuel, which increases our demand for fuel. The costs of running these trucks is going to drive me to the poor house. This is just not an isolated case with me but the whole industry. Beverly Nantel, Keith Spencer Trucking • Yes, the government has tried to make trucks run better. But in most cases, the fuel mileage has gone way down, making trucks more costly to run. The rates have not kept up with the times. So if trucks are using more fuel, then more fuel has to be made. Some one should look into the pollution that is made by making more fuel. I think the environmental benefits are washed out by this. Robert Maginnis • Let them delete DPFs and EGRs if it’s the only way for them to make money. They still pass the opacity snap test, and if they get better fuel economy, than they’re burning less fuel anyway – great! If this gets enforced, then look out, the industry will fall apart. David Hiller • I find it frustrating that governments and trucking alliances are steadily increasing the hoops that owner/operators have to jump through just to make a living in their own equipment. The EGR, then the DPF and now the DEF technologies were introduced with little or no practical over-the-road testing. These technologies were not in use long enough to have the OEMs invest in engineering revisions to make the equipment even remotely reliable and any amount of research into the industy’s maintenance financials will corroborate this statement. Grassroots techinicians and engineers come up with a viable alternative to these underdeveloped technologies and market them effectively to those who need them. They are fixing the problems created by the bureaucrats and fat people in committees who equate driving a truck with taking the family van to Disney World. My ’05 EGR truck never made me a reasonable wage until I purchased the EGR delete kit. Since then I have had three good years. My 2005 EGR engine blew an average of 15% opacity before I got the delete kit installed. The next opacity snap test averaged 4.2% with the EGR delete kit installed. I have MOE inspection reports to back this up. My fuel mileage improved and the horsepower increase was significant. Marty Zinck

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13-04-10 2:41 PM

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13-03-11 3:31 PM

inverters

Power play Seven common questions about power inverters

ower inverters – the devices that convert standard battery (DC) power to AC household power – are becoming more commonplace in the trucking industry. Depending upon whom you ask, that’s to the delight, or chagrin, of fleet and maintenance managers who often have a love/hate relationship with inverters.

“Inverters have always been a magnet of controversy,” says Steve Carlson, OEM sales manager for inverter supplier Xantrex. Carlson says shipments have risen sharply since early 2012 and the company expects this trend to continue in the next few years. “Fleets know that drivers love them, as they provide an extra measure of creature comfort that helps with driver retention,” Carlson says. “But they can

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be nervous about inverters and their potential to damage the truck’s electrical system.” Carlson says he often fields questions from fleets about inverters, and “the distrust of inverters is really a thing of the past, if, and I stress if, the right inverter and installation practices are followed. Inverters can be a great asset to drivers and fleets. The key is for fleets to do their homework and know what’s best for their operation prior to making a purchase. One size does not fit all and inverter quality varies greatly.” Carlson says these questions typically rise above all others when fleets try to determine which inverters to purchase.

What size should I buy? Far and away, Carlson says “what size” is the number one and most important question he hears from fleets. “It’s easy to say get the biggest inverter on the market and you’ll be covered for all your needs,” Carlson says. “But that’s not the best advice. Inverter sizes range from 300-watt cigarette lighter plug-in inverters to 5,000-watt units. Each fleet should do a survey on truck size and power usage and understand how their drivers will use an inverter – what items they want powered and what items will be used at the same time. That will help right-size the inverter for your operation.” As an example, Carlson says drivers will often run a microwave, TV and laptop all at the same time. “On each device you’ll see a wattage number,” he said. “A microwave might be rated at 1,000 watts, a TV at 250 watts, and a laptop at 95. Add them up to see how much continuous power you’ll need and then add 20%. So, in this case you’ll need just over 1,600 watts. Next, round up to find an inverter that meets your power needs. Xantrex, for example, offers an 1,800watt unit, and that’s what we would recommend.” While determining continuous power is an important consideration, so is “surge power.” “Whenever you power up any device, the initial load is more – and sometimes double – what the continuous power requirement is,” Carlson says. “So the surge rating on quality inverters should be about double. So, an 1,800-watt inverter can handle a short 3,600-watt power surge requirement.” Next, Carlson says to research how long the inverter can handle the surge. “The longer the better,” he says. “Some on the market can handle only a few milliseconds of surge before the power draw shuts down the inverter. Others can last five seconds or more, and that’s what you should look for.”

Sine or modified sine wave? There are two types of inverters on the market, a sine wave and modified sine wave. “Both work well in a truck environment, but for those running sensitive electronics (like CPAP machines) or products that are plugged into their own chargers – a drill or a toothbrush – sine wave is the preferred choice,” says Carlson. “Since sine wave is the same power as what you get at home, the voltage is consistent without spikes

or drops. So, the device you’re powering reacts just as it would if you were plugged in at home. But, in most cases, modified sine wave power is just fine in operating most electronics and appliances with the exception of few sensitive applications.” As for the price difference? Carlson says the gap has narrowed and today, most higher wattage sine wave inverters cost about 15-20% more than a modified inverter. “With a sine wave unit, you’ll notice a slight decrease in the efficiency rating since electronics within the inverter use power to keep electrical levels consistent,” says Carlson. “It’s not much – we have an 87% efficiency rating on a Xantrex sine wave unit compared to 92% on a modified inverter. It’s like the difference between running a six-cylinder car versus fourcylinder car. That four-cylinder car may get a bit better fuel economy, but the six-cylinder is better in overall performance.”

Is it okay for our fleet to install the inverter? “Generally speaking, yes,” says Carlson. “Most technicians will have no problem handling installation, and Xantrex does offer fleet training programs to our customers. We certainly would recommend our training program if there are any questions on installation. But, just remember, you’re working with electricity and electricity can bite if you’re not careful. It’s our recommendation that inverters over 300-watts feature hard-wiring and fusing.” Carlson says there is a bevy of things to consider when installing an inverter, starting with ‘where it should go’ and making sure there is adequate ventilation to allow heat to dissipate. “And you have to be cognizant of wire sizing and the distance between the inverter and plug-ins which can be put in the sleeper; plus the distance between the battery and inverter. There’s a lot to consider.” According to Carlson, most fleets want the convenience of a factory-installed and warranted inverter. “We really recommend either an OEM install when you purchase a new truck, or have the installation done by an authorized dealer,” says Carlson. “The OEMs have installation down to a science and it’s done on the line to rigid spec’s. Truck and aftermarket dealers also have the experience, so it’s worth spending a few extra bucks to have the installation done right, the first time, should your own staff not have the time or expertise.”

What kind of reliability can I expect? “When it comes to reliability, the old adage, ‘you get what you pay for’ comes into play,” says Carlson. “You will pay more for an inverter that has a ‘Regulatory Listed’ approval – such as UL or ETL with UL458 rating. This means the inverter was inspected and approved by an independent agency which safeguards against issues with electricity. UL458 is the listing for inverters and chargers in mobile applications. They must meet strict vibration, environmental, and thermal requirements that non-UL458 units do not. This is the most important safety point I can make, and in fact, TMC’s

13-04-11 1:34 PM

TRUCK WEST may 2013

RP163 calls out this UL listing for all inverters and chargers.” Buying an inverter that is not Regulatory Listed tells you: buyer beware. “We’ve seen these types of products actually shock users, plus internally they often can’t protect themselves against power surges.” Carlson says that inverters installed by truck manufacturers all are UL approved, but many inverters sold at truck stops are not. Carlson also suggests you look for how inverters are internally tested for quality control. “If the manufacturer you’re considering tests to ensure quality, then they’ll likely promote that fact in their marketing material, or on their Web site,” he says. “And, those inverters that have been tested will last longer versus inverters from manufacturers that don’t spend the time and money to ensure quality. A quality inverter should last well beyond its warranty period.” Carlson says inverters will occasionally shut down, but quality inverters do so without damaging themselves. “If dust or cat hair, for instance, gets inside the inverter, it can cause it to overheat. A higher watt Xantrex inverter, for example, has an error code that lets you know what the problem is – in this case it will tell you that you are overheating and to check the fan. A simple cleaning or ‘blowing out’ will correct the problem and you’ll be back up and running. Other inverters could leave you guessing as to what the problem is. And, if you overload the inverter, placing more wattage demands on the inverter than it can handle, the inverter will shut down. The difference between a quality inverter and low-end inverter is how they deal with a shut down. A quality inverter is designed to shut down with no ill effects. A low-end inverter can ‘wear out’ after multiple overloads.”

Should I buy an inverter with a battery charger? “The simple answer is yes if you can use shorepower (electrical outlets at home

bringing in is why fleets often have a policy of not allowing drivers to outfit company trucks with their own inverters. “But, if you do allow drivers to bring in their own inverters, then we recommend you give them a list of approved devices, with the most important common denominator being UL458 listed. And we suggest you make it mandatory that your shop or outside dealer does the installation,” explained Carlson.

Why use an inverter if I already have an APU?

A schematic shows the installation of a power inverter. Fleets should provide drivers with a list of approved devices, if they wish to bring their own.

or on the road at terminals, loading docks, or truck stops),” says Carlson. “When plugged in, you can run everything you’re running with your inverter for as long as you want, plus you can recharge and top off your batteries. The more you can use shore power, the better, as it prolongs the life of your batteries.” In fact, Carlson says having the shorepower option and a charger in the system will add 20-30% to the life of the batteries if plugged into grid power whenever possible. “It also has the potential to eliminate one battery swap-out over the five to six years use of the truck. This happens by keeping batteries fully charged, offsetting parasitic loads, and reducing the number of cycles.” According to Carlson, most installations use the inverter off the truck’s starting batteries and quality inverters will have a low voltage disconnect (LVD) to shut down when voltage drops to 11.7 volts. This ensures the truck will

have enough juice to start. “Check on the LVD feature before you buy an inverter,” cautions Carlson. “Many inverters on the market will run the batteries down to 10.5 volts, which will let drivers run electrical devices longer in the cab and sleeper. However, they won’t be able to start the truck unless the truck comes equipped with its own LVD. Another option is to run two dedicated deep-cycle batteries and connect them to the inverter,” continues Carlson. “Yes, they do add weight to the vehicle, and added cost. But, deep-cycle batteries were designed to be drawn down to a 50% state of charge, or 10.5 volts. This gives you double to triple the amount of continuous power to run hotel loads. Something your drivers will appreciate.”

Should I allow drivers to bring their own inverters? According to Carlson, not knowing what kind of inverter your driver is

The addition of an inverter to a truck electrical system will reduce hours of use on a diesel-fired APU (assuming that the APU does not already have shore power compatibility). “And, it will reduce maintenance costs and increase APU life,” said Carlson. “An inverter can be used for hotel loads in the cab as long as environmental conditions do not require air conditioning. When those conditions happen, just power up the APU for air conditioning.” With this set-up, the only time the APU would need to come on is if the batteries drop to a low level. Once the batteries are charged, the APU can shut off again. “This significant reduction in APU run time means a quick payback on the cost of the inverter,” says Carlson.

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13-04-11 1:35 PM

Mountain biking can generally be broken down into multiple categories: cross-country (XC), trail riding, all mountain, downhill, freeride, slopestyle, dirt jumping and trials. The vast majority of mountain biking falls into the recreational XC, and trail riding categories.

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13-04-04 1:19 PM

safety

TRUCK WEST May 2013

HR practices play key role in safety ttracting and retaining qualified employees can be a challenge at the best of times, and there is little hope the situation will improve anytime soon. A recent study by the Conference Board of Canada concludes our industry might be short more than 33,000 truck drivers as early as 2020, while other reports suggest individual fleets already struggle to fill job openings. As the average age of a truck driver continues to rise, leaving employers to fill the vacancies created by an increasing number of retirements, fleets also face ever more competition for the next generation of workers as other business sectors scramble to address personnel shortages of their own. This is hardly welcome news for the industry’s managers. It costs between $6,000 and $10,000 to recruit and retain a new truck driver, and this is on top of the business opportunities lost because of a lack of workers. To compound matters, those who fill any gaps with highrisk drivers face an increased threat of collisions and lost customers alike. Human resources practices obviously have a role to play in any broader safety and operational plans. That’s why Northbridge Insurance safety specialists tap into a broad library of information when helping customers to develop solutions. Some of the related support comes in the form of material from Trucking HR Canada – officially launched this month to focus on the human resources needs in Canada’s trucking and logistics sectors. The initiative is supported by the Canadian Trucking Alliance, Private Motor Truck Council of Canada, Glacier Business Information Group (the publishers of this magazine), and Newcom Business Media. And in addition to identifying broader issues and trends, the group will offer a national forum for sharing best practices, while helping to promote career paths in the trucking industry. For its part, Northbridge Insurance has helped pilot a new selfguided tool known as the HR Circle Check, which will soon be available at www.truckingHR.com, giving fleet managers a way to assess their specific human resources needs and find ways to address any gaps in related company policies and procedures. And we’ve arranged for many clients to attend Trucking HR Canada’s workshops for industry managers. Existing materials, originally developed through the Canadian Trucking Human Resources Council, have already proven to be valuable when developing broader safety strategies that include: The recruiting process: Advertising for qualified drivers is just one step in the process that includes attracting, evaluating, selecting, hiring and retaining personnel. Support is available through checklists and customizable forms in Your Guide to Human Resources: Volume 1. Immigrants and Temporary Foreign Workers: Immigrants already account for one in every five job seekers, and some fleets are turning to internationally trained workers to fill severe

Ask the Expert Matt Graveline shortages of long-haul truck drivers. But a welcoming workplace is needed to attract newcomers to jobs in Canada’s trucking industry. Supporting information can come in the form of Your Guide to Human Resources: Volume 2, complete with an orientation guide to offer job candidates an overview of the industry, fact sheets to highlight steps in the immigration process, and an online portal that will inform immigrants and the agencies which help them make

a smooth transition into Canada. A focus on different generations: Have you ever wondered if younger workers are speaking a different language? They are. At the very least, they communicate in different ways than their more experienced counterparts. Information in Your Guide to Human Resources: Volume 3 shows how to manage different generations of people in the same workplace, and address succession planning. Training for coaches, mentors and assessors: Personnel who are asked to coach newly trained drivers, mentor experienced drivers, or assess any job candidates require training of their own. Each can play a role in helping to prevent driver turnover.

Every one of Trucking HR Canada’s training tools is based on formal National Occupational Standards, which clearly define all of the tasks and skills behind an array of trucking-related jobs. The standards themselves can be a valuable resource for fleets looking to enhance job descriptions, steer training programs, assess hiring guidelines, or guide performance reviews. It is all help that can be particularly welcome to smaller fleets which may not have the benefit of a full-time human resources team, pulling managers away from decisions made on gut instinct alone. Combined with the focus of a broader safety program, they can make the difference between informed decisions and the costly mistakes which will haunt a fleet for years to come. This month’s expert is Matt Graveline, senior risk services consultant with Northbridge Insurance.

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13-04-10 2:43 PM

lubricants

Why it may be time to make low-viscosity engine oils part of your fuel-saving strategy By James Menzies Low-viscosity heavy-duty engine oils are beginning to get some attention as an easy way to improve fuel economy, while maintaining the protective qualities truck owners have come to expect from time-tested 15W-40 oils. Since 15W-40 oils are the predominant type used in heavy-duty truck engines today, essentially any thinner oil can be characterized as low-viscosity engine oil. The most common would be 10W-30 and 5W-30 oils, which are available in conventional, semi-synthetic and full-synthetic variations from all the major suppliers.

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Fuel savings of 1% have been proven when moving from 15W-40 to a low-viscosity 10W-30 engine oil, with some suppliers saying savings can reach up to 3% under certain operating conditions. The oils deliver fuel savings because they are thinner, requiring less energy to produce the same amount of horsepower as traditional 15W-40 oils. Imagine swimming a lap in a pool filled with honey, compared to a pool containing water. Naturally, swimming in the honey-filled pool would require more exertion and would leave you more fatigued than a lap in the waterfilled pool. That’s how Jim Gambill, North American commercial and industrial brand manager with Chevron explains the benefits of low-viscosity heavy-duty engine oils. Because the oil is thinner, it provides less resistance and requires less energy from moving parts within the engine. “Even a little change is important to fuel economy, since you are doing it 1,500 times a minute. The trick is to still be able to protect your equipment,” Gambill told Truck West in an interview, adding the newest low-viscosity engine oils are buttressed with strong soot dispercency and wear control. Today, low-viscosity heavy-duty engine oils account for just 6% of the North American market. It’s expected that market will grow as fleets gain confidence in the protection offered by lowviscosity engine oils, and see the fuel savings for themselves. Extensive testing by multiple oil companies has shown low-viscosity engine oils are every bit as good at protecting the engine as their 15W-40 counterparts. “When we tested our Duron-E 10W30 versus our 15W-40 – the’re both conventional oils, the only difference is one is lower viscosity – we found the protection is the same for our 10W-30 as it is for our 15W-40,” said Jane Li, category portfolio manager with Suncor Energy, which markets Duron-E oils under the Petro-Canada brand. Dan Arcy, OEM technical manager for Shell Lubricants, agreed that protection isn’t compromised when moving to a lighter-weight oil. “We have done a lot of field testing with lighter-viscosity oils and we’ve shown basically the equivalent engine wear protection with our 10W-30 as with our 15W-40,” Arcy said, noting Shell did a complete engine teardown after 800,000 miles and found no difference in wear between engines running 10W-30 and those using traditional 15W-40 oil. If you’re still not convinced a 10W30 can provide the protection you’ve come to expect from a 15W-40, then consider it’s the engine manufacturers that are really driving the more widespread adoption of low-viscosity oils. All the engine manufacturers have now approved the use of low-viscosity engine oils, and some have even opted for them as factory fill. As the US Environmental Protection Agency pushes for improved fuel mileage out of heavy-duty trucks, it’s likely that engine manufacturers will continue to promote the use of low-

13-04-11 11:47 AM

TRUCK WEST may 2013

Truckers in cold weather climates could benefit from easier winter start-ups when using a low-viscosity engine oil.

viscosity engine oils as an easy way to temperatures and reaches all the eximprove fuel mileage by 1% or more. tremities of the engine more quickly That’s what JP Soucie, key account than a thicker 15W-40. manager for Eastern Canada with Cas“Also, Shell has done some testing trol distributor Wakefield Canada, beto look at how much energy it takes to lieves will happen. crank an engine over in cold tempera“It’s not a hard thing to predict as to tures and we’ve seen a significant rewhere the EPA wants to go with fuel duction in the amount of energy and economy,” Soucie said. “The industry the amount of battery power it takes is going to move to low-viscosity engine to turn the engine over when using oils because the EPA is going to man10W-30 versus 15W-40,” Arcy said. date it.” That could mean fewer battery failChevron’s Gambill added: “The ures or starting issues in cold climates. OEMs are now driven by the need to Another benefit is potentially lonreduce greenhouse gas emissions and ger drain intervals, provided, of course, that’s why they are looking at these they’re supported by an oil analysis program. Soucie said one large over-theoils. We are one piece of their fuel economy tool set.” road Castrol customer has extended None of the oil experts Truck West drain intervals to 113,000 kms, using a spoke to expect 15W-40 oil to become semi-synthetic 10W-30. obsolete in the near future. If you’ve decided to give low-viscosi“I still think there’s a future for 15W-40 ty engine oils a try, there is no shortage oil, and it still holds the majority of the of options. They range from a convenNorth American market,” said Li. “Simtional low-vis, to semi-synthetics right ilar to what we’ve seen in Europe, the market will go to a low-viscosity oil, but I don’t think in the next 10-15 years that the 15W-40 will disappear.” Shell’s Arcy said owner/operators, in particular, are likely to cling onto their 15W40 engine oils, because it’s what they know and are comfortable with. “I’d have to say from my discussions with owner/operators, they JP Soucie, Wakefield Canada are more accustomed to and comfortable with using 15W-40 and I think there may be a little slower on up to full-synthetics in a wide varichange within that segment of the truckety of weights. Any change in oil type ing community,” Arcy said. should first be approved by the engine manufacturer and should be made in A 1% fuel economy improvement is most enticing when extrapolated over consultation with the oil provider. Price a sizeable fleet, and may not be reapoints, too, vary widely, with full-synson enough to switch oils if you’re a thetics costing up to $9 per litre. Still, one-truck operator. But there are other Wakefield’s Soucie insists the pricier fullbenefits to using low-viscosity engine synthetic low-vis engine oils deliver the best value when total life-cycle costs are oils as well, which can be appreciated equally by owner/operators and fleets measured. of all sizes. One is the improvement “You will see some fuel economy out in cold weather startability. Because of a conventional 10W-30, just because the oil is thinner, it flows better in cold it’s thinner,” Soucie said. “But you will

‘The savings you receive from a full-synthetic oil supersede the costs of purchasing it.’

pg 30-31 tw may v3.indd 31

see more dramatic fuel economy coming from a mid-range product such as a semi-synthetic, because the formulation has been designed to accommodate fuel economy as one of the benefits.” Soucie admits the Canadian trucking industry currently has “no appetite” for full-synthetic low-viscosity oils, because of the sticker price, but that doesn’t stop him from singing their praises. “Conventional oil is a cost of doing

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business,” he said. “A semi-synthetic lowers your total cost of operation because of labour and consumption savings. A full-synthetic – despite being in the $8/litre range – is the only oil that’s free. In fact, full-synthetic oil is the only oil that pays you back. The savings you receive from a full-synthetic oil supersede the costs of purchasing it, because you will get anywhere from 2-4% better fuel economy out of a full-synthetic.”

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13-04-11 11:49 AM

inside the numbers

MODAL MANIA

Why Western Canada carriers canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get too carried away with rate increases

Have higher rates and/or surcharges affected use of different modes?

% of Shippers

40%

Percentage of their current rail shipments shippers consider trucking to be a viable alternative 0%

33%

% of Shippers

1-10%

11-20% 21-50%

>50%

31%

13% 6%

17%

Main reasons have diverted freight from to rail to truck Trying to service new markets

Responding to customers requests

Increasing rail prices

14%

43%

25%

Decreasing truck prices

Faster inventory times

14% 11%

Poor rail service or coverage

50%

Percentage of their current truck shipments shippers consider rail to be a viable alternative

yes

60%

TRUCK WEST May 2013

% of Shippers

View of level of competitive activity among transportation modes

1-10%

35%

11-20%

47%

21-50%

8% 8%

>50%

Main reasons have diverted freight from truck to rail Trying to service new markets

13%

25%

Increasing truck prices

Decreasing rail prices

38%

25%

Faster inventory times

Poor truck service or coverage

4% 21%

pg 32 tw may.indd 23

11%

2% Well below normal levels

Around normal levels

Below normal levels

10%

15%

11%

Above normal levels

4% Well above normal levels

% of Shippers

48%

% of Shippers

Responding to customers requests

s we noted in our last issue, Western Canada carriers are much more enthusiastic about raising freight rates than their counterparts in the rest of Canada. And after more than four years of recession followed by a slow recovery that ate into their profit margins, who can blame them? The results from our annual Transportation Buying Trends Survey, however, point to a need for caution. There is a level for rate and surcharge increases beyond which shippers start to reconsider their modal options. In 2012, 40% of Western Canada shippers responding to our survey indicated they had switched

at least some of their freight to another mode as a result of higher pricing. Rail shipments are vulnerable to predation by trucking with 44% of shippers acknowledging that trucking is a viable alternative for up to 20% of the freight they currently move with rail. Seventeen per cent told us they could realistically move more than 50% of their current rail freight to trucking. When shippers make the move from rail to truck, however, price is not their biggest concern. Poor rail service or coverage was cited as the main concern by 50% of our shipper respondents, followed by the need to respond to customer requests (43%). The opposite is true when shippers

shift freight from truck to rail. Fiftyfive per cent of Western Canada based shippers currently using trucking services told us they could realistically move up to 20% of their freight to rail. But in their case the main concern is with price with 38% citing increasing truck prices as the main reason they would consider switching to rail. The annual Transportation Buying Trends Surveys are conducted in partnership with Cormark Securities, the Canadian Industrial Transportation Association, and CITT. For more information on the overall survey and other industry trends, check out the Inside the Numbers Knowledge Centre on www.trucknews.com.

13-04-11 12:31 PM

driver shortage

TRUCK WEST may 2013

Owning the issue Continued from page 1

Although there’s plenty of work still to be done, Malysa says Trimac is openly addressing many of these issues head-on.

Show me the money On top of competitive pay packages, Trimac has adopted in its operations several of the BRTF report’s “core values” dealing with compensation, including: “Truck drivers should have an improved ability to predict what their weekly pay is going to be; that compensation packages need to be more transparent; and truck drivers should be paid for all the work that they do and earn enough to cover all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred while on the road.” “There’s a lot of unpaid time that drivers incur because of delays, loading and unloading, etc.,” says Malysa. “Our goal was to create transparency and simplification of pay programs so people can clearly see how they are being paid for what they do and not some secretive process that wraps up productivity in the rate itself, so if there are delays or costs caused outside of the drivers’ own doing, they won’t have to absorb it.”

Life happens There’s no argument that overall pay must increase in long-haul truckload in order to sustain the industry. But while driver dissatisfaction commonly manifests more openly through pay issues, the underlying problems are often rooted in how drivers are treated and forced to deal with the irregular nature of trucking lifestyle and operations. “If you raise the level of pay by itself, it will not promote drivers to come into our industry,” Malysa says. “That’s the biggest fallacy that many people believe. They think that if there’s no drivers, the rates will go up and everyone will flood back to this job. I don’t think so. There are plenty of good paying jobs out there, but if the fundamental issues of the job itself are not attractive, then you could throw money at it all you want, but they’re not coming. The point is, there are a lot of things in our drivers’ lives that can be changed first.” Malysa said more companies need to talk to drivers face-to-face about the issues they’re dealing with on the road and at home. “If you actually sit down with them and listen to them, your heart sinks. They work 70 hours a week and come home for 36 hours and can’t get things done at home in the hours they have because they have to set their mind to switch off from being at home to preparing for the road ahead.” Part of the challenge is changing the industry culture to reflect the reservations of both new generation drivers who have limited tolerance for the time-worn system and aging veterans who physically are not able to sustain

pg 01, 21, 33 tw may v3.indd 33

it any longer. “Some of it,” explains Malysa, “is because the level of compensation doesn’t provide for the level of income they want so they have to be out on the road more, but a larger part is that there aren’t enough drivers to allow f lexibility and get guys home more.”

What Aretha Franklin said “Truck drivers are our most important asset, the face of the industry – to our customers and to the public – and they are deserving of respect,” declare the authors of the BTRF report. If carriers don’t respect their own drivers, how, Malysa asks rhetorically, can they expect their customers to? Trimac trains all levels of staff on driver relations, from fleet managers and dispatchers to shop technicians. “There are so many areas that touch the drivers and that’s what makes them so critical to our organization,” he says. “So, we’ve thrown down the gauntlet and actively engaged our drivers and management team to address the issue from a communications side so we’re not all just sitting back knowing where the issues are but no one wants to talk about it.” There’s no denying, however, that most productive work hours are spent (and potentially wasted) away from the fleet terminal. How drivers are treated by their company’s customers and consignees, then, affects them just as much. And it is in this area where shippers must have a role – arguably, for their own good, too. Malysa has sent copies of the BRTF report as well as the recent Conference Board of Canada study on the driver shortage to his customer base and is in the process of engaging them about their thoughts on reducing downtime. It’s true many shippers are indifferent about the shortage – until, of course, it affects their freight – but there’s plenty who realize it’s in their best interest to promote careers in trucking. Plus, Malysa rightly points out, enlisting shippers to add their voices would help get the attention of more government policy makers.

Trimac has heeded its own advice, and implemented the recommendations laid out in the CTA’s Blue Ribbon Task Force on the Driver Shortage.

companies gave our provincial and federal politicians an opportunity to see what we really do and see the experiences of our drivers, that would definitely be helpful to the industry.” Trimac’s proactive approach to recruitment and retention didn’t evolve overnight. Nor, considering drivers’ cynical nature, did everyone buy-

in right away. “Sure, there’s some of that ‘I’m from Missouri, show me that you really mean it,’” says Malysa. ‘But overall, I think drivers are really feeling loved in our organization. They are getting the message about what we’re trying to do because I think they see that we’re getting the message, too.”

Show, don’t just tell While it’s up to trucking to hold up a mirror to itself, the industry can’t do all the fixing alone. One way to get politicians to take an interest in the proposed solutions – such as a minimum standard of entry level, apprenticeship-like truck driver training and skilled certification – is to literally show them the industry. “They just don’t understand what it takes to sit behind a Class 8 truck with a 140,000-lb load on the highway in heavy traffic – and do it for 70 hours a week,” says Malysa, who offers local politicians ride-and-drives so they can experience trucking firsthand. “It’s an eye-opener. If more

13-04-11 2:35 PM

opinion

There actually is a free lunch

t’s a mystery to me why saving fuel is still a perplexing prospect for so many folks. It may not be easy, especially after you’ve picked all the low hanging fruit like aerodynamics, limiting speed, and idle-reduction technologies, but diligence, determination, and a bit of creativity can produce dramatic results. OBAC recently conducted several successful – and thoughtprovoking – fuel economy seminars in Ontario and the Maritimes. It was interesting at times with fleet managers and drivers in the same sessions looking at those challenges from different sides of the steering wheel, but the owner/operators in the room were easy to pick out, especially during the

Voice of the O/O Joanne Ritchie Q&A sessions. They seemed the keenest to learn because they had the most to gain. A modest 0.5 mpg improvement at today’s prices means an additional $500 in income. Businesses with 5% profit margins would need an additional $10,000 in revenue to earn that same $500. Improving fuel economy is an easy way to improve profitability – but I digress. The Driving for Dollars program we delivered is based on the e-learning ver-

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sion of SmartDriver for Highway Trucking, developed by Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) and launched last fall. As a stand-alone learning tool, the online version of SDHT provides drivers with an understanding of fuel saving concepts and it shows how those concepts can be integrated into their work routines. It’s free, easy to use, and accessible 24/7 from any computer. There was definitely a thirst for more information from everyone in attendance, whether they were company drivers, owner/ops, or fleet managers, which leads me to conclude that anyone can be a bit muddled about all the potential fuel-saving tools and techniques readily available today. Part of the problem could be infor-

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mation overload. For example, NRCan’s Web site (fleetsmart.gc.ca) is a treasure trove of resources – all manner of programs and tools – but it’s a bit like drinking from a fire hose. Add to that a new resource: the US EPA’s SmartWay Transport Partnership has recently expanded into Canada, bringing with it even more information, ideas, and tools. One question we heard over and over was “will such-and-such work for me?” Fleets and owner/operators want to know how well a product works before shelling out those hard-earned dollars. Some SmartWay-certified technologies work better than others do, so the question is a valid one. Getting past such questions, I was also a bit surprised to discover that some of the fleet reps who joined us, as well as more than a few of the owner/operators, were not up to speed on some of the advantages of today’s low-rpm, high-torque engines, and how they can help reduce fuel consumption. Keeping engine rpm to a minimum is an easy way to save fuel, such as when shifting gears and climbing hills, but not many fleets were either practicing it or enforcing it as a fleet policy. I also found it surprising that some fleets and owner/operators who invested in various fuel-saving technologies, like fuel-efficient tires and aerodynamic fitments for trucks and trailers, were not practicing fuel-efficient driving habits – which are basically free. Often, talk about driving habits led to discussions of driver incentives. Judging by both the buzz at our sessions and the post-seminar surveys, not many fleets have fuel economy incentives in place. One drawback, it seems, is the perceived difficulty of administering programs fairly because of differences in operations from one truck or route to another. While that’s a concern, some carriers have implemented successful programs which measure driver performance not by mpg, but by proper driving habits, like maximizing time in top gear, keeping below a predetermined road speed, minimizing idling, and so on. Some fleet managers balked at incentivizing drivers for proper driving habits, saying that’s what they expect from a professional driver. For them, there’s a gem buried in FleetSmart’s mesmerizing Web site. It’s a nifty tool called ‘Driving for Fuel Economy: an Incentive Program Handbook’ designed to help fleets create incentive programs that promote fuel-efficient driving. It includes real-life case studies from carriers who have such programs in place, along with practical advice, simple worksheets, and checklists to help fleets get started. If you’re not ready to take a drink from the fire hose, you can find PDF versions of the handbook in the Green Trucking section of the Toolbox tab on OBAC’s Web site. There are so many fuel-saving technologies on the market today, from pricy trailer aerodynamic fittings, to essentially free engine programming features, it’s tragic that more of them aren’t being used. There’s no single silver bullet solution to better fuel economy; it’s a combination of technology that suits an application, driver training, and in some cases – really – incentives to encourage drivers to rise above the fleet average. Joanne Ritchie is executive director of OBAC. Got the incentive to save a bundle? E-mail her at jritchie@obac.ca or call 888-794-9990.

13-04-11 10:26 AM

british columbia

TRUCK WEST may 2013

West Coast port introduces ‘Smart Fleet’ strategy By Jim Bray VANCOUVER, B.C. – Truckers serving Port Metro Vancouver may see a little less hassle dealing with the facility in the future, if a new “Smart Fleet” strategy works out as planned. But they may have to get their ducks more in a row than they’ve been in the past, too. According to Peter Xotta, vice-president, planning and operations for the port, the strategy was needed because of increasing business: the port handled 124 million tonnes of cargo last year, with a new record for containers of 2.7 million TEUs (20-foot equivalent units). “The Smart Fleet program was, in part, driven by our desire to bring a greater level of efficiency and discipline to the port’s drayage supply chain,” Xotta told Truck West, “and we wanted to articulate a longer-term strategy around how to move that forward.” A major part of the Smart Fleet strategy is to expand the use of GPS technology to identify potential problems. “We have about 2,000 trucks registered to enter port facilities,” Xotta said, “and in 2012 we equipped 300 of them with GPS units as a pilot project.” That test’s success helped lead to the decision to bring an additional 700 GPS units on stream by the end of 2013, which means that roughly 50%-plus of the fleet will have GPS units by then. That’s only one of the dimensions of the strategy, of course. Also announced was that the port, industry and government will fund research through the Clean Transportation Initiative to identify tech-based solutions to improve sustainability, while the Container Drayage Leadership Team (CDLT) will provide a forum for terminal operators and industry leaders to work together, openly, to solve drayage challenges. There’s also going to be a review of the Truck Licensing System (TLS) the port claims will lead to enhanced performance, safety and environmental standards. But it’s the GPS aspect that may have the biggest effect on trucking, over the short-term at least – and that could actually be good news for trucking companies and drivers. Xotta said it will put the port in a much better position to identify where trucks are idling or lining up, “and how we might, working with other stakeholders, start to de-bundle that into root causes and hopefully identify solutions.”

Does that mean truckers who want to deal with the port will have to shell out for GPS units? Not necessarily. Xotta noted that the pilot phase was funded entirely by Port Metro Vancouver, and that this next chapter is being paid for jointly by the province of B.C., the federal government and the port. As for who’ll be on the hook for the other 50% of the trucks’ GPS units once this next chapter has unfolded, Xotta said the hope is that “we can continue to demonstrate the value, and to the extent that there are public monies available for that that next phase, we will explore that. Barring that, we will be looking to have industry pick up that piece of it going forward.” Whoever ends up paying for the devices, “it’s likely to be a requirement… that you have a GPS-equipped unit that provides us certain data,” Xotta said. As for the data itself, “We use it to aggregate performance at our marine terminals in particular,” Xotta said, “and are measuring the amount of queue time and turn times in and out of the container complex.” Basically, they want empirical data rather than anecdotal information, so they can pinpoint the root causes of issues scientifically and “use it as a bit of education with those companies that are experiencing greater difficulty than others,” Xotta said. “This will help us differentiate issues that are due to the terminal interface or adjacent activities versus a particular company who may be newer to the port and may have something that they’re doing, or aren’t doing, that could be adjusted to improve their fluidity in and out of the port complex.” The port might also use the GPS information to develop other performance metrics, including a reporting system “to engage with the trucking community… about their performance into and out of the port relative to the average or the standard that that we may advance over time,” Xotta said. Basically, they’re going on an information treasure hunt and will take what they learn and use it to foster what they see as best-in-class performance. B.C. Trucking Association president and CEO Louise Yako thinks the strategy is a good idea overall. “One of the long-standing issues the drayage sector has identified is the fact that they have to wait for long periods of time,” Yako said, “and all of that had been very anecdotal in nature. This (GPS initiative) is actually

going allow the capture of real data to see what’s really a problem and what isn’t.” GPS isn’t the only way to collect data today, however, and it may not even be the best way. “You don’t necessarily have to have GPS in order to be able to identify truck turn times or wait times, which is essentially what we’re trying to achieve here,” Yako said. “What we would have liked to see was for them to survey what equipment is currently being utilized and how the data being collected by those mechanisms could be used by the port. And they didn’t do that.” That doesn’t mean that they won’t, she noted, “but it just seems like the steps they’re taking seem to be out of sequence.” Yako also pointed out that smartphones may be able to do the job as well as or better than dedicated GPS units – and some people are already thinking in that direction. “There’s a pilot being undertaken by another North American port where they’re using smartphones to do exactly the same thing,” she said. As for the Truck Licensing System, Xotta said all of the approximately 2,000 trucks and 160 companies participating have to be registered, the license ensuring that certain requirements are maintained – for example equipment or engine standards. But this could change. “We’re undertaking a review, basically to ensure that the Truck Licensing System isn’t an impediment or having an unintended consequence with regard to the efficient commercial activities in the port,” Xotta said. Complying shouldn’t be onerous, at least theoretically. “What we’ll likely be requiring…is just evidence of inspections and things having been undertaken, rather than a duplication of a protocol that already exists,” Xotta said. “We’ll be working closely with the province and the commercial vehicle inspection folks…to make sure that what we’re doing is in line with those other systems or processes that are in place.” The objective, Xotta said, is “to make sure that we’re doing our part to ensure that the trucks that are affiliated with port activity are meeting those standards that exist, and to the extent that we see value in exceeding or signaling that we’re going to be changing the standards, that we give industry ample time to reflect on what that means for their business and to give us feedback if we need to adjust our plans.”

Yako said the BCTA has been giving advice, some of which has been taken. “The port came out three times in 2012 with different versions of that strategy…and they received feedback on each draft. I have to give them credit because I think they have been very consultative.” As far as other issues that may raise their heads in the future are concerned, Xotta noted that one of the fundamentals of the Smart Fleet strategy is effective collaboration between the various stakeholders. “We haven’t had a very specific forum like this in the past and we see this as a great catalyst for making sure we’re having a balanced and focused conversation around drayage issues,” he said. This includes looking at extended hours operation. “Much of the drayage activity in this port happens during the day shift,” Xotta explained. “That means that where there is capacity available, it’s not being effectively utilized. As a port infrastructure provider, that’s a concern of ours, so this forum is dealing specifically with how can we in a more coordinated and consistent way use a greater proportion of the available time that these assets are available to us.” The overall program timeline is three years, but Xotta said the new GPS units should be installed before the end of June. Other initiatives, such as adding the technology to feed GPS data into tools the industry can use, are expected to be on stream over the next year or two. “We’ll re-assess it annually,” he said, “but we’d like to have them all in place by the end of three years.” Yako noted that, while the changes affecting people on the front lines – the truck drivers and dispatchers frustrated by the daily operations – probably aren’t happening quickly enough for them, it isn’t realistic to expect rapid change. “This is like moving a ship,” she said, “and we’re seeing some changes, some operational improvements and I expect that we’ll be seeing more significant changes relatively soon.” Now, however, “the port recognizes – and a lot of the other supply chain logistics partners recognize – that if we’re going to deal with the volume everyone is anticipating then we just have to get smarter about how it is we’re working,” Yako said. “I think everybody recognizes that and generally speaking we agree on how that should be done; it’s a matter of doing it and doing it fast enough.”

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opinion

Is trucking in your DNA? had the most interesting conversation the other day with an old friend of mine. He recently signed up for DNA testing and his results had just come in. Apparently, DNA testing has come way down in price. As a result, more and more people are finding out early in life if they have genetic risks for things like Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s. Ever wonder about those heavy eyebrows you sprouted years ago? These tests can even tell you if you are of a Neanderthal descendant. I admit, I had my DNA analyzed as well, but it wasn’t out of curiosity. I had a health issue that could have been caused by a mutant gene and the doctors needed to determine if my family was at risk. This was “need to know” information, so I’m very happy DNA testing has evolved so quickly. This leads me to my point. Do we really want to know what “could” happen to us in our senior years? Some will argue knowing this type of information will only cause us sleepless nights and a depressed quality of life. Others will say it’s better to know so they can start checking off items from their bucket lists early and enjoy living life to the fullest, while they still can. The way I look at it, if there isn’t a cure, or at the very least, known measures that can slow things down with minimal sideeffects, I don’t want to know.

Publisher’s Comment Rob Wilkins I don’t think I’m hiding my head in the sand. It’s just that this life goes by so fast, and I’m bound and determined to enjoy the ride without the burden of knowing what “could” happen to me in the end. Back to my friend. He is four times more likely to get Parkinson’s disease and two times more likely to end up with Alzheimer’s than the general population. He’s not sure where the Alzheimer’s came from, since no one in his family has had it, but Parkinson’s does run in his family. Before they gave him this bit of news, they asked him if he was sure he wanted to hear the results. Just hearing that question is going to force most people into saying yes. Obviously, my friend agreed since he wanted this information regardless of that baited question. I’ve often heard, “If you’re a trucker, it’s in your DNA.” Although there’s no test for that, I bet it’s true. Just look at how many families make their living behind the wheel. Rob Wilkins is the publisher of Truck West and can be reached at 416-510-5123.

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fiction Mark Dalton: Owner/Operator

TRUCK WEST May 2013

By Edo Van Belkom

Like a lamb to slaughter

Part 3

THE STORY SO FAR... Mark has put the accident in Ontario behind him and delivered a load of snowmobile parts to Vancouver. Bud gives him a load of livestock from B.C. to Quebec, and a return load back to B.C., to be driven in a convoy with two other drivers. After arriving at Fraser Farms Mark meets his fellow drivers, Karl and Jerome, and watches his trailer being loaded with lambs. They’ll be driving 36 hours to Thunder Bay, off-loading their lambs for a 12-hour rest, then continuing on to Quebec… • Several minutes later, they were headed east with Mark taking up the second spot in the three-truck convoy. The temperature was around zero and with any luck it would stay around that mark all the way to their destination. But, considering they’d be travelling across the prairies in the late winter/ early spring the chances of the temperature dropping well below freezing were pretty good. The driving was easy enough, but every time they stopped for a rest or a bite to eat, they had to check up on the animals to make sure they were all well. At the second stop – well into Saskatchewan – Mark took a look in the trailer as he’d done before and the animals seemed alright. Most were moving about and looking to be at rest, but one of them appeared a bit too restful. He stared at the animal, which was lying on its side with its eyes wide open. Mark wasn’t quite sure what he was looking at. After all, how was he supposed to know if an animal was alright just by peeking into the back of the trailer. He needed someone with experience to take a look. “Everything okay?” Karl asked, coming out of the truck stop restaurant with a meal to go. Mark shrugged. “I don’t know. Could you take a look?” Karl handed Mark his lunch to hang onto, then climbed up the back of the trailer so he could take a look inside. It didn’t take long for him to reach a verdict. “Yeah, that one’s looking a little sluggish.” Mark was pleased, not for the fact that the animal wasn’t doing so well, but because he’d been able to recognize there was something wrong. “What should I do?” Karl climbed down from the trailer and took his meal back from Mark. “Not much right now. Maybe we can close up some of the panels up front to get it a little warmer inside, see if that helps.” “That’s all we can do?” “We’ve got a few more hours of driving today. We’ll take a better look when we stop again. If the animal’s still listless, maybe we’ll try something else.” Mark wasn’t reassured. The very thing he feared most about driving livestock was having one of them die while in his care. While this animal wasn’t exactly on its death bed, it had pulled back the sheets. “It’s not going to die on me, is it?” A slight laugh. “I’m not saying animals have never died during transport, but it’s rare. I don’t think you have anything to worry about.” “You sure?” “Let’s just get moving.” Mark hurried into the restaurant to order himself something to eat, then got back into Mother Load to continue his trip east. The other two trucks were waiting for him and the moment he was in his cab,

the truck stop but was confused by the request. We’ve got a sick animal here and this guy wants a Coke. Nevertheless, Mark bought a one-litre bottle of Coke and brought it back to the trailer. “Here you go,” he said. “Great.” “You mind me asking what it’s for?” “For the animal,” he said. “To wash down these.” He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a bottle of aspirin. “You’re going to give it an aspirin?” “No, more like four of five. Hopefully that’ll be enough to get it to Thunder Bay.” Mark was incredulous. “I never would have thought to do that.” Karl set about opening the rear of the trailer so they could climb inside. “Maybe not on your first trip, but if you hauled livestock often enough you’d get to the point where you’d be willing to try anything. That’s when you would have tried it...and when you saw that it worked it would be the first thing you’d do from then on.” Mark followed Karl into the trailer and the sheep moved aside for them as they headed toward the one lying on its side. Karl crouched down and cradled the head of the lamb on his leg. “Get ready with the Coke,” he said. Mark cracked open the bottle. With a gentle touch, the man coaxed the lamb’s mouth open, then dropped four tiny pills onto the back of its tongue. Then he used a finger to push them past the tongue and down into its throat to the point where it had no choice but to swallow. Then he held the mouth open and said, “Pour some in there.” Mark upended the bottle and the soda sloshed and splashed into the animal’s mouth. To his surprise the animal swallowed several times until the bottle was empty. “There,” he said. “Now what do we do?” “Nothing. We get some rest and be ready for another long drive in the morning.” • Eight hours later, Mark was up and out of his cab, eager to check on the animal. After climbing up and looking inside Mark saw that all of the animals were at rest, but he couldn’t be sure if they were asleep or all of them had fallen ill. “He-yah,” he shouted banging several times on the side of the trailer. The animals all got up, startled...all of them, including the one who’d been sick. “Well?” came a voice from outside. Mark pulled his head out of the trailer and saw Karl standing by the rear of the trailer. “It’s a miracle!” “Nah, just a temporary fix,” he said. “Hopefully when we get to Thunder Bay the vet there can give it a boost.”

they started moving. As the hours passed, Mark was tempted to pull over and check on the animals, but that didn’t seem to be an option as they continued east without a break until they’d used up all their driving time for the day. Mark followed the lead truck into the parking lot of a Husky just before the Manitoba border. It parked to the left of a light standard so the overhead light could shine down and illuminate the inside of the trailer. Mark followed that lead and parked on the other side of the standard while the third truck parked close to another standard farther down the lot. Mark was eager to take a look inside his trailer, but he took the time to first make sure his truck was secure and his engine was cooling properly. Outside, Karl had already checked on his trailer and was coming over to help Mark with his. “Do you want to look, or should I?” Mark said. “Go ahead, it’s your load.” Mark nodded, then slowly climbed up the back of his trailer and popped open the door that allowed him to take a look inside. Despite the light filtering down through the translucent roof of the trailer, Mark was having a hard time seeing all of the animals. Then, some interior lights switched on (no doubt thanks to Karl) and he could see every corner of the trailer clearly...especially one animal lying on its side that wasn’t moving. Mark pulled his head out of the trailer and shook it. “Let me have a look.” Mark got down and watched Karl climb up for a look. It didn’t take long for him to pull his head back and turn to Mark. “Go inside the store there and buy a bottle of Coke or ginger ale, whatever they have.” “What?” “Just do it.” Mark hesitated, then said, “Alright.” He headed into

Mark Dalton returns next month in the conclusion of Like a Lamb to Slaughter. Did you know there are two full-length novels featuring Mark Dalton?: Mark Dalton “SmartDriver” and Mark Dalton “Troubleload.” For your free copy register with eco ENERGY for Fleets (Fleet Smart) at fleetsmart.gc.ca.

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13-04-11 1:17 PM

TRUCK WEST may 2013

jim’s brayings

Welcome to Jim’s Brayings, a quick look at some interesting community news items from across the west that we think will interest you. If you have some news you think will be a good match for this column, pop me off an e-mail at jim@transportationmedia.ca. We can’t run everything, of course, but we’ll try to get in as much as space permits…

Some elections, a bookie (well, “bookor”), some good charitable work – and some new public faces for Alberta’s trucking industry. Yessiree, folks, it’s time for another star-studded edition of Jim’s Brayings – the place where pundit becomes punster and where your stuff is showcased for all to see.

Director’s chair First up this month is news from Susan Green of the Manitoba Trucking Association, announcing a new board of directors and executive, people with the guts and commitment to stand up and be counted on behalf of the industry (or maybe they just didn’t duck quickly enough!) The MTA election was held at its March 12 annual general meeting. Here’s the new executive: president, Norm Blagden, Bison Transport; first vice-president, Greg Arndt, Jade Transport; second vice-president, Gary Arnold, Arnold Bros Transport; John Erik Albrechtsen, Paul’s Hauling; Doug Witt, Gardewine Group; and Bernie Driedger, Portage Transport. Congratulations to all of these industry-minded folks, and best of luck. Also on hand for the MTA’s AGM were the federal Transport Minister, the supposedly Honourable Steven Fletcher and the supposedly equally Honourable Steve Ashton, the province’s Minister of Infrastructure and Transportation. Maybe I’m naïve, but I always wonder if these politicians have to prove they’re honourable before they can use that description. Sure, it comes with a cabinet position, but – no aspersions meant to these particular Ministers – Lord knows we’ve seen some less-than-honourable cabinet ministers in the past, so perhaps if there isn’t an “honour test” or something, there really should be. I volunteer to design and administer the test! Heck, I’m even bribable, though I guess that would kind of defeat the purpose!

Honouring a bookmaker At the other end of the west (yeah, yeah, I know British Columbia is British Columbia, not “the west”), congratulations (premature as they may be) to Daniel Francis, the author of the great coffee table-compatible book ‘Trucking in British Columbia: An Illustrated History.’ Why? Well, because he has made the short list for the Bill Duthie Booksellers’ Choice Award, which will be voted on by booksellers across that farthest west province. The votes are based, apparently, on the book’s public appeal, initiative, design, production and content. If Francis wins, it’ll be his second such honour, so maybe we should call him “the Honourable,” too. He copped the first prize in 2001 for his ‘Encyclopedia of British Columbia.’

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Truck West managing editor Adam Ledlow (left) and Trucks For Change founder Pete Dalmazzi chat charities during an epioside of Transportation Matters. The BCTA recently announced it will be teaming up with the Trucks For Change crew.

‘Trucking in British Columbia: An Illustrated History’ is a celebration of 100 years of those dangerous, unskilled trolls wreaking havoc on the province’s roads and highways. Well, isn’t that how people think of the industry? It’s a beautifully crafted work that includes more than 280 previously unpublished photographs from throughout the years. It is also claimed to be the first book that traces the truck’s evolution from the time of horses and donkeys to 18-wheelers and B-trains, and from dirt lanes to paved highways. Check it out! You can find more info on the volume at Harbour Publishing, at www.harbourpublishing.com.

Got any spare change? Ah, “Change,” the word lefties use to disguise their attempts to transform society fundamentally into the socialist paradise that has so far eluded them despite decades of human slavery and hundreds of millions of deaths at their hands. Naturally, change isn’t necessarily bad – it just depends what you want to change into and how you want to accomplish it. But I digress. I was reminded of this fact when I got a release from the B.C. Trucking Association announcing that it’s teaming up with the Trucks For Change Network to promote transport support for B.C. charities. I really know little about the “TFCN,” other than that it’s a “national non-profit association of member trucking and logistics companies,” but what’s a “Brayings” column without a few gratuitous snarks from yours truly? You can send your subscription inquiries to me at jim@ transportationmedia.ca. I promise to read every cuss word, twice. Anyway, the BCTA and TFCN are putting their respective heads together to extend TFCN’s reach in “facilitating transportation services to charities in B.C. and across Canada.” According to the press release, the Network – which was founded in the centre of the universe (Ontario, of course) in

2011 – supports its communities with in-kind services (where possible and cost-effective). The group tries to put participating carriers together with charities they can support with offers of donated or reduced-rate services. The Network already has several member carriers working in the province, and helps national charities that have affiliate organizations in the province – gangs like Food Banks Canada and Habitat For Humanity Canada. “We know many motor carriers already actively support charities, but we can make the whole process more efficient by finding the right carrier with the right equipment in the right place to help,” said Trucks For Change Network president Pete Dalmazzi. “Finding affordable transportation often makes the difference between a charity accepting donated goods or having them end up in landfill sites, so there’s an environmental benefit as well.” Which, despite my snarkiness, does make sense. Membership in the Trucks For Change Network is strictly voluntary, and carrier members pay a small annual membership fee to offset administrative costs. If you want to learn more, surf by www.trucksforchange.org or contact Pete Dalmazzi at pete@trucksforchange.org or 905-844-8658.

New Knights sally forth on a crusade... From executive director Don Wilson comes news that the Alberta Motor Transport Association has chosen its second set of Road Knights, that gang of dedicated, experienced and personable drivers who take time out of their regular duties to be kind of “the face” of Alberta’s trucking industry. Short-listed candidates had to submit a detailed application outlining why they want to become a Road Knight, as well as making a speech and undergoing a grilling by a selection panel. To the best of my knowledge, there

were no evening gown or swimsuit competitions, however. AMTA Road Knights all have firstclass driving records (not that this should be a surprise), and as part of their duties they meet with community groups to help raise awareness of how to share the road safely with a truck, as well as promoting awareness of trucking industry careers and the importance of trucking to the overall economy. Not that these guys only haul overalls, of course… Congratulations to the new Road Knights: Ted Beals, Trimac Transportation, Calgary; Reg Flavelle, Reilly Transfer, Grande Prairie; Michael Hawkins, Caron Transportation Systems, Sherwood Park; and Reg Moulding, Bison Transport, Calgary. Besides the commitment of time and energy by the Road Knights themselves, their companies also have to buy into the program (the guys need some time off to do their jousting!), so kudos to Trimac, Reilly, Caron and Bison as well. The new team will be unleashed onto an unsuspecting public at the AMTA’s AGM in Banff at the end of April. Then, over the next two years, they’ll make appearances at driving schools, business clubs, high schools, social clubs and other public venues. The Alberta Road Knights program is modelled after a similar one started back in 1995 by the Ontario Trucking Association. The west undoubtedly does it better, of course… That’s it for this time (did I just hear a collective sigh of relief?). If you have an issue, an announcement, a rant, or something else you think the industry in the west needs to hear about, give me a holler at jim@transportationmedia. ca. As always, we try to accommodate everything but space (I do tend to go on, don’t I?), legality and taste (well, they let my stuff through!) dictate what fits. “See” you next month!

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